Daniel Ajak
Ajak Wolan & Associates
Director
Before co-founding Ajak Wolan & Associates, Daniel worked at Victoria Legal Aid in the Summary Crime and Youth Crime team where he regularly appeared in the Magistrates’ Court, Children’s Court and the Bail & Remand Court.
Daniel has featured in the Herald Sun, the Law Institute of Victoria’s Journal & recently in the Age, sharing his journey from a refugee camp to settling in Australia and becoming an Australian legal practitioner.
Daniel graduated from Flinders University with a Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice and a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) in 2015 and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of South Australia and the High Court of Australia.
He began working as a lawyer at Thomson Geer in Adelaide before going on to practise in Sydney at Salvos Legal. In 2017, after seeing regular media coverage about African youth crime in Melbourne, Daniel felt a need to relocate to Victoria and position himself as a role model for younger people within his South Sudanese community. He went on to work at a Melbourne Criminal Law Specialist firm, practising in summary and indictable crime.
Daniel has featured in the Herald Sun, the Law Institute of Victoria’s Journal & recently in the Age, sharing his journey from a refugee camp to settling in Australia and becoming an Australian legal practitioner. You can hear more by listening to his recent episode with Greens List where he was interviewed by Michael Green.
Daniel practises in the following areas of law: Criminal Law, Corporate & Commercial, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Family Law, Wills & Estates, Employment Law.
Professional Memberships: Member of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV), Member of the LIV’s Criminal Law Section, Co-founder and steering committee member of the African-Australian Legal Network (AALN).
David Ali
International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations
Advocacy & Membership Lead
I am an experienced CEO across three different operating environments: government agency, professional member-based association and a national federated peak body. I draw on extensive public sector, not-for-profit, management consultancy and Board experience to help organisations work effectively and efficiently to deliver tangible outcomes and impact with a person-centred approach underpinned by a strong commitment to inclusion, equity and integrity.
I am currently global advocacy and membership lead for the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations and also policy and advocacy advisor for General Practice Registrars Australia.
I am a Fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program (LV) and completed the AICD Company Directors course.
Lyn Allison
NFP Services
Director
Formerly a teacher, I represented Victoria in the Australian Senate from 1996 to 2008 and was leader of the Australian Democrats from 2004.
I held the education, health and environment portfolios for the Democrats for most of those 12 years. I chaired the Senate Environment References Committee and presided over 10 major inquiries including those on greenhouse and water management which I initiated.
I initiated the removal of the ministerial veto over the abortifacient; RU486 which made history as the only bill to have been sponsored by women from four political parties.
I now serve on the Westgate Biodiversity: Bili Nursery & Landcare committee and I joined the Committee of Management of the Afghan Australian Development Organisation and the Board of the Accountability Round Table
I was made Humanist of the Year in 2010 and inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2012.
Dennis Altman
LaTrobe University
Vice Chancellor's Fellow LaTrobe University
Dennis Altman AM is the son of Jewish refugees who first came to attention with the publication of his book Homosexual: Oppression & Liberation in 1972. Recent books include Global Sex, The End of the Homosexual? and [with Jonathan Symons] Queer Wars. Monash University Press published Unrequited Love: Diary of an Accidental Activist in 2019.
Altman is Emeritus Professor and Professorial Fellow in the Institute for Human Security at LaTrobe University in Melbourne. He was President of the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific (2001-5), and has been a Board member of Oxfam Australia. In 2005 he was Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard, and was listed by The Bulletin as one of the 100 most influential Australians ever [July 4 2006], and is a Member of the Order of Australia June 2008. He is an Ambassador for the Human Rights Law Centre and Patron Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives, the Pride Foundation and Naz Foundation International.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Awarded the Simon and Gagnon Award for career contributions to the field of sociology of sexualities by the American Sociological Association’s Section on Sexualities 2013.
Doctor of Letters honoris causa Macquarie University 2017.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Oxfam; Pride Foundation; ASA; Amnesty; Mardi Gras.
Other Interests:
Tennis; philately; opera; reading.
Peter Armstrong
Peter Armstrong is a Governance, Culture and Accountability professional and most recently worked with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority on Remuneration, Culture and Governance issues. Peter has over 30 years experience in a range of senior management and executive roles across the financial services, media, manufacturing and transport industries with groups such as Fairfax, the Chamber of Manufactures, BOC Gases, Southcorp and Bluescope Steel. Peter is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Sally Arnold
Creating Encores
Director
I am a speaker, author of Creating Encores and business coach specialising in turning around careers of stuck women and their businesses. I am passionate about the performing arts and culture here in Melbourne and globally. I have worked in this profession for many years. I love great food, wine and life in Melbourne. And travel as often as I can. NYC is a favourite.
Chris Arnott
Public Executive
Chris Arnott is a water and natural resource management expert, a business entrepreneur who has grown a number of successful consulting firms – most recently Aither – and a thought leader in management and leadership.
James Atkins
Non Executive Director and Strategy Consultant
James is an experienced non executive director currently serving as Chair of Hocking Stuart, Deputy Chair of SIDS and Kids, Deputy Chair of Greening Australia and a Non Executive Director of Your Porter.
In an executive capacity, as Director of Vantage Strategy & Marketing, James works with organisations assisting them define and refine their strategic direction and develop plans for growth.
Trisha Avery
Avery Advisory
Director
Trisha is the Principal of Business Performance Coaching Australia and Avery Advisory Group. M.A. Psych & Couns., De Montfort Uni, UK. Adv. Dipl. Psych & Couns., CCPE, UK. Cert Couns. Regents College, UK. Dipl. Supervision, CCPE, UK. Diploma Directing, ALRA, UK.
She changes people’s lives through developing their careers and behaviours to sustain success and passion throughout their working lives.
Born in Hong Kong, Trisha was brought up globally and educated in the UK, Singapore and Germany. She started her working life as an Actor in Australia and moved on to Directing and Producing theatre and dance in the UK and Australia. After selling her Theatrical Agency, ‘Performers Management’ she took on the role of the first artistic producer of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In the UK in the early 1990s she was involved in producing the First Yugoslav Peace Talks – The Westminster Conference, the closing Ceremony of the World Student Games (Youth Olympics) and European Heads of Government meetings. In Australia Trisha was the Executive Producer of the first Melbourne Fashion Festival.In the late 1990s Trisha retrained as a Transpersonal Psychotherapist and during her first semester of study was asked by a colleague to work with her, to provide Leadership/Executive Coaching to a wide range of senior management in the UK. Trisha has been providing Executive and Leadership Coaching ever since.
Returning to Australia in 2001, Trisha has been one of the most successful developers of Executive individuals and teams from a wide range of organisations, including Multinationals to Government and local Councils.
With her expertise in working Globally, Trisha provides services in
Australia, Africa, China, Europe, India, Philippines, USA
Trisha has published on Executive Coaching, Cultural Intelligence and Global Leadership. She creates bespoke programmes for groups and organisations and is a highly sort after speaker at corporate events and conferences.
Peter Bartlett
MinterEllison
Partner
I am one of Australia’s leading media and communications law experts, with a practice that covers the full spectrum of media and communications law from both a private commercial and regulatory perspective as well as a public sector perspective. I have unparalleled experience in media and communications law and complex business litigation where there is corporate risk.
My areas of expertise include regulatory compliance, breach of confidentiality, defamation/libel, Freedom of Information (FOI), data and personal privacy, and reputational risk management. I frequently act for Government Ministers and other prominent individuals and regularly defend media clients in defamation claims – responding to complaints, settling disputes, mediations and running trials.
I regularly contribute opinion pieces and am frequently sought for comment on emerging issues within the media and communication landscape by Australian news outlets.
I am a member of numerous boards and committees within the media and communications industry and was recently the first person in the Asia-Pacific to be appointed as International Bar Association Legal Practice Division Chair.
Miriam Bass OAM
Non Executive Director
Board member, Chair Governance & Risk Committees and Councillor. Skilled in governance, change management, business process improvement, culture change and strategy development.
Sally Basser
Non-Executive Director
Sally is a consultant and board director with a deep interest in the arts, social welfare, health, disability and not-for-profit sectors. She is a Public Member of the Australian Press Council and currently serves on the boards of Service and Creative Skills Australia, the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Bell Shakespeare Company, the Australian National Academy of Music and the Australian Youth Orchestra. Prior to 2018 Sally enjoyed a successful career as a senior Commonwealth public servant, holding senior executive positions in the Social Policy Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and as head of the Office for the Arts from 2007 to 2017. This is underpinned by over 25 years experience in the public and not-for-profit sectors across a range of specialties including human services, human resource management and as a social worker in a range of settings including child and family services and community health. Sally brings strong skills and experience in leadership, governance, program evaluation, organisational review, human resource management, risk and strategy. Sally has a Bachelor of Social Work (First Class Honours) a Master of Public Administration and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Lee Ann Basser
Consultant
Director and Chair of Governance & Risk, Project Rozana Australia. Experienced not for profit CEO working to empower women and girls to create a better world in the local and global communities. Human Right lawyer and scholar with more than 30 years experience. Particular interests in women's issues, children's rights and the rights of people with disabilities.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Project Rozana Australia
Victorian Women's Trust
New Israel Fund Australia
Cheryl Batagol PSM
Secure Electronic Registries Victoria (SERV)
Chairperson
Cheryl Batagol is Chairperson of Secure Electronic Registries Victoria (the private operator of the Victorian land registry) and Wastech Engineering Pty Ltd. Cheryl is former Chair of EPA Victoria and Melbourne Water. Cheryl's other previous roles have included the Chair of the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, a board member of City West Water and Southern Rural Water, Chair of EcoRecycle Victoria and Deputy Chair of Sustainability Victoria.
Caron Beaton-Wells
Australia and New Zealand School of Government
Dean & CEO
Professor Beaton-Wells is an internationally distinguished academic leader, committed to the role of education and research for a sustainable future and with a track record in leading major organisational change through innovation and high performing, collaborative and inclusive culture. Caron is currently the Dean and CEO at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government. She is also an honorary Professorial Fellow of the University of Melbourne and a lay member of the Australian Competition Tribunal. From 2020-23, she was the internal Dean at Melbourne Business School, a period in which the School transformed its educational portfolio, innovation agenda and forged new partnerships with industry and government.
Previously, as a member of the Melbourne Law School executive team, Caron established one of the world’s most highly regarded hubs in competition and consumer law. She led the development of Australia's first online masters suite in this field, while researching, teaching and advocating. She has consulted to the OECD, ASEAN, and the New Zealand Government, been a non-governmental advisor to the International Competition Network, a member of UNCTAD's Research Partnership Platform, and a member of the Law Council of Australia's competition and consumer committee. She was the recipient of the Academic of the Year (Women in Law) Award in 2019.
Prior to her academic career, Caron was a solicitor at (now) King & Wood Mallesons and a member of the Victorian Bar. She is a member of Chief Executive Women.
Sue Beecher
Philanthropic Consultant
Bio Experienced donor, board member and philanthropic advisor with a background in financial and not for profit areas
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Non executive board member: Thrive Refugee Enterprises Australian committee member : Human Rights Watch Committee member: Crohn & Colitis
Other Interests:
Indigenous empowerment, social inclusion for refugee & asylum seekers, supporter of human rights organisations who strive for systemic change.
Family and friends.
Bryan Berry
Retiree
Bachelor Social Work and Bachelor Arts (Hons) Melbourne University.
Currently retired having spent 20 years in Victorian Local Government Senior Management roles in the planning, provision and management of community services in the Family, Youth, Library and Aged Care areas
Extensive Social Planning involvement and experience, particularly in the rapidly growing municipality of Wyndham in Melbourne’s West.
Continues to have strong interest in social planning, urban development and the future growth of Melbourne.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Collingwood Football Club
Other Interests:
Social Planning
Urban Development
Reading
Travel
Michelle Beveridge
Non-Executive Director
An experienced non-executive director skilled in digital strategies, business transformation, governance and risk. Interested in addressing climate change and social justice. Michelle enjoys rambling, opera and a good chat over dinner.
Robin Billen
Horton International Pty Ltd
Managing Partner
Robin is a Managing Partner with Horton International, Executive Search Consultants, in Melbourne. He has been with the Horton International group since 1993 and was Chairman of the global group from 2006 until the end of 2014.
Initially qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in the UK, he worked in management consulting and commerce before entering executive search. He has a strong interest in international affairs and many sports including AFL, rugby, soccer and test cricket.
Yehudi Blacher
Yehudi Blacher Consulting
Director/Owner
Senior Public Servant VPS- Secretary Department of Planning and Community Development Deputy Secretary DPC and DHS
Deputy Chancellor Monash University
Honorary Professorial Fellow Melbourne University
Chair Port of Hastings Development Authority, Victorian Taxi Commission
Deputy Chair Victrack Pty Ltd
Deputy Chair IPPA (Australia)
Deirdre Blythe
Non Executive Director
With over 25 years of senior executive and non executive experience across the commercial, government and not for profit sectors, I bring a strong understanding of business levers, financial and non-financial performance improvement, and effective risk management, compliance and governance. I am a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA), and hold a BSc Hons in Management Science from the University of Manchester.
I have extensive international health and general insurance, healthcare, events management and arts and culture experience, including Board roles and as CEO and COO. I am a resilient and personable strategic thinker with a values-based commercial approach and a passion for effective execution and alignment. I have a deep commitment to curiosity, integrity and kindness and a proven expertise in business analysis and advice, M&A and turnaround, international businesses, creating and developing teams, change management, and process improvement.
For eight years until August 2023 I was the Chief Operating Officer at Arts Centre Melbourne, where I led the finance, IT and digital, data and insights, risk management and compliance, legal and governance, and facilities management functions.
My intention is to transition to a portfolio of NED roles, and I am also interested in Interim CEO, COO and CFO roles during this period.
As a Non- Executive Director at Cell Therapies Pty Ltd, I contribute to the growth and development of an innovative, globally focused biotechnology company that provides cell and gene therapy manufacturing services.
I recently completed my term as NED at public health service Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where I was Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, and my Board experience spans 20 years alongside my Executive roles.
Justin Bokor
Justin Bokor Advisory
Director
Justin Bokor is a senior consulting professional with 20 years’ experience in strategy, growth and transformation.
He has extensive international experience, having led strategy and growth programs in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the UAE and the Philippines.
Justin is actively involved in the community and not-for-profit sector, including the Melbourne Forum, the Balibo House Trust and World Vision Australia.
Jay Bonnington AM
Non- Executive Professional Company Director
Corporate Advisory
Jay is an experienced Independent Company Director and governance professional. 30 year executive finance career; International and Australian corporate finance roles, then into non- executive board portfolio career and advisory consulting. Current focus; Governance, Risk and Compliance. B.Com. MBA. FAICD. http://linkedIn.com/in/jaybonnington
Lynn Bosetti
La Trobe University
Head of School of Education
A strategic, inspirational educational leader and research scholar committed to deepening the scope and capacity of universities in Canada to make education viable and accessible for wider communities, including Indigenous peoples and marginalized groups. Constructively engages with government, school boards and external stakeholders to inform policy, programming and professional practice, as well as fundraising prospects. Contributes research insights through international journal articles, policy reports, keynote speeches, media interviews, and membership on boards and key steering groups.
Roger Bounds
Triple EEE
Executive Advisor
Roger has recently returned to Australia after leading the strategy and portfolio team for Shell's Integrated Gas and renewable energy businesses and is currently advising on the energy market and mentoring others. In his time with Shell, Roger has been a key player in building Shell’s leading global LNG production, marketing and trading positions. He previously held senior executive roles with the Federal and State governments in the areas of economics, resource management and regulation.
Roger holds a Honors degree in Economics from Monash University, a Master of Commerce from Melbourne University and executive courses with INSEAD, MIT and Australia Institute of Company Directors.
Lisa Bowman
Raven Communication
Director
Lisa Bowman is Director of PLUM Communication, President of Travellers Aid Australia and former Non-executive Director at Melbourne Forum. Lisa has been the Stakeholder and Communications Manager at Rail Systems, Regional Rail Link Stakeholder and Communication Manager at FutureFlow and Senior Account Manager at Haystac.
Suzette Boyd
Retired Library Director
Suzette Boyd, whose career spanned 40 years as a secondary teacher and Library Director, earned her reputation for innovative ideas and practice by pushing boundaries and embracing change:
• Established and Directed Schools Literature Festivals
• Edited two collections of short stories for Harper Collins
• Wrote and self-published 'The Connected Library: a handbook for engaging users', which became a manual for best practice is schools throughout Australia
• Presented at international [Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Pittsburgh, Vancouver and New Zealand] and Australian conferences on library and educational issues; including promoting reading, engaging students in their own learning, information literacy education and using technology in education.
• Established and directed seven biennial week-long Scotch College Literature Festivals
Suzette was Head of Library and Information Services at both Methodist Ladies’ College [ 1993-1999] and Scotch College in Melbourne [2000-2013]
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
AWARDS – Australian and International
2013- John Ward Award [School Library Association of Victoria] for outstanding contribution to learning and teaching and raising the profile of teacher-librarians
2002 - Winner of International Association of School Librarianship [IASL] International Commendation Award for Scotch College Literature Festival
1999 - Winner Progressive School Library Media Award from IASL for the implementation of innovative ideas to enhance lifelong learning skills of students
1999 – Winner of Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA] Award for Innovation in a School Library
1994 – Winner of inaugural Dromkeen Librarian’s Award for promoting literature and a love of reading amongst children and teenagers
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
National Gallery of Victoria - Suzette has been a Guide since 2015
Other Interests:
US and Australian politics, Art and Design, Human Rights, The Environment, Music, Film
Dr Peter Brain
National Institute of Economic & Industry Research
Executive Director
Dr. Peter Brain is the Executive Director at the National Institute of Economic & Industry Research. Peter is the author of a number of books on the Australian economy, international economies and energy and the Australian economy. Peter has some 30 years of experience in applied economics and energy research.
Norah Breekveldt
Breekthrough Strategies Pty Ltd
Director
Norah Breekveldt is an executive advisor and leadership development consultant who has served clients in a variety of industries over the last 20 years including professional services, government, manufacturing, education, finance and the not for profit sector.
Norah brings to her consulting and coaching practice extensive experience as a senior human resources practitioner in the government and corporate sectors driving organisational change, fostering employee engagement and supporting organisations to become employers of choice. Norah understands how businesses operate and how the dynamics of senior management teams drive business performance.
She has held a number of positions on boards in government and not-for-profit organisations. She was a recipient of a Telstra Business Women’s Award (Victoria) and the Australian Financial Review/Business Council of Australia Corporate Work and Family Award.
Norah is the author of "Sideways To The Top – 10 Stories of Successful Women That Will Change Your Thinking About Careers Forever" (2013)," Career Interrupted – How 14 Successful Women Navigate Career Breaks" (2015) and "Me and My Mentor, How Mentoring Supercharged the Careers of 11 Extraordinary Women" (2018). She contributes regularly to professional publications, journals and blogs and is a regular speaker at women and leadership conferences and events.
Dr Marianne Broadbent
Future Leadership
Managing Partner
Dr. Marianne Broadbent is a Managing Partner at the leadership advisory and executive search firm Future Leadership, with which the Partners and staff of NGS Global Oceania recently integrated. She is a Director of The Conversation Media Group and Fellow of AICD. She has a passion for working with organisation to shape and develop strategic executive and team capabilities. Dr. Broadbent works in both the commercial and government sectors and has deep experience with technology, professional services and education-related businesses and executives. She is a Founding Partner of ARBITER Leadership Technologies™ and co-founder of the Australian Chapter of Social Venture Partners. Marianne has been the global Senior Vice President of New Product Development for Gartner Inc, Associate Dean at Melbourne Business School, a Council member of the Victorian College for the Arts and Director of CAVAL Ltd. Marianne is co-author of two bestselling books published by Harvard Business School Press, including The New CIO Leader. She is the author of the The Agile Executive: Embracing Career Risks and Rewards to be published in June 2019 and is a Distinguished Academic Fellow of Melbourne Business School.
Robert Broadbent
MARB Research
Director
Studied University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and PhD (Chemistry) Macquarie Univ 1974.
Robert is a Director of the consulting and advisory company, MARB Research Pty Ltd. He completed his doctoral studies in organometallic chemistry and subsequently pursued a career in education, initially in consultant and support roles with teachers, teacher educators and school communities and then as the inaugural Executive Director of a national professional education body that is now called the Australian College of Educators. He was involved in national education policy development and national initiatives in multicultural and indigenous education and the promotion of women in educational management. Robert’s further career has been related to education, standards, policy and regulation of the health professions. Between 2007 and 2012 he was CEO of the Australian Dental Council (ADC). He led the ADC in major developments in national accreditation, standards and assessment for the dental and oral health professions in Australia. From 2003 to 2007 he was inaugural CEO of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and, from 1988 to 2001, was CEO of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), the specialist medical college for the psychiatric profession. He now is involved on a pro bono basis as Company Secretary (2013–) for the engaged philanthropy group, Social Venture Partners Melbourne, for which he was honorary Exec Dir 2013-17.
Jane Brockington
Bridging Policy and Practice
Consultant / NED
Jane Brockington is and NED and advisor in strategy, governance, risk, integrity and regulation. Previously Jane was a public sector regulator, senior executive and CEO.
Dr Kate Brooks
KAL Analysis
Director, Non Executive Director & Consulting Sociologist
I've a long ago background in Marketing and Corporate Affairs, but moved to research based carreer in 1998. Following Masters and PhD research in Sociology, I have run my own consultancy in the areas of business & community sustainability, stakeholder engagement, reputational risk, governance and program development, addressing existing and emerging issues, since 2007, and moved to an advisory and Board focused career in 2016. The majority of my work and professional reputation is in the provision of advice to government and industry in the areas of coastal community, marine resources, fisheries management and reputational risk; fields in which I've worked both in Australia and internationally.
I'm passionate about finding ways to deliver sustainable development and growth that dont infringe upon people's sense of justice and equity in the area of managing our natural resources.
I've also worked with Not for Profits in the capacity of a Board and/or Committee Member for the Women Pilots' Association, Vision Australia, Fareshare, Melbourne Women's Fund, BPD Community Victoria, and OzFish Unlimited.
I've also held roles on the Board of Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts, and the South Australian Fisheries Council . I currently sit on the NSW Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel, the NSW Coastal Council, and am a director of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
Nicola Burgess
Independent Company Director & Advisor
Nicola is an experienced CEO and Non Executive Director, working internationally and cross sector to scale businesses with a focus on digital innovation and commercial sustainability. She has worked with start-ups, mid-cap, large public and private companies leading complex transformation.
Nicola currently balances a portfolio of advisory and non executive director roles with a focus on high growth companies in the renewable energy and fintech sectors.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations: Advance.Org - Cofounder of London Chapter and Ambassador Business Mentor for Women in Technology
Other Interests: Architecture & Garden Design, Rowing, Theatre, Travel.
Julian Burnside AO KC
Barrister
Julian Burnside AO KC is an Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate and author. In 2009 Julian was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia. Julian is a founding member of the Victorian Society for Computers and Law and the Justice Project. Julian is past Chair of Fortyfive Downstairs and The Mietta Foundation as well as past President of Liberty Victoria.
Hugh Burrill
Retired Company Director
Hugh Burrill (FAICD, MBA, MScSt, BSc) was a Non-Executive Director of IDT Australia Ltd (ASX: IDT) from 2015 to 2022. IDT is a listed Australian pharmaceutical manufacturing company based in Victoria and develops and manufactures pharmaceuticals, including high potency products, for global markets.
During 2007-2020 Hugh was the Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of Nova Aerospace Pty Ltd (trading as Nova Systems) an international Australian owned Professional Service Provider addressing complex technical and management challenges in defence, transport, utilities, energy and communications. Nova employs over 600 specialist consultants across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
Hugh has over 35 years research and development experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and was previously the Corporate Vice President, Global Pharma R&D, Hospira Inc a Chicago based specialty pharmaceutical company.
Ita Buttrose AC, OBE
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Chair
Appointed chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in February, Ita is acknowledged for her brilliant and groundbreaking media career. She will speak to the topic ‘the changing media landscape’.
Ita started her career at the age of 15 as a copy girl at the Australian Women’s Weekly. She then became a cadet journalist at the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph.
In 1965, at 23, she was appointed women’s editor at the Daily Telegraph and in 1971 became founding editor of Sir Frank Packer’s new women’s magazine Cleo. It was an instant hit, becoming Australia’s top selling monthly women’s magazine and propelling Ita to national celebrity status.
Four years later, Ita was appointed editor of Australian Women’s Weekly and in 1989 became the first woman editor of an Australian metropolitan newspaper — the Daily Telegraph and later the Sunday Telegraph.
Ita has worked in print, radio and television and has written 11 books. She was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame in 2017.
She was the first woman appointed to the News Limited board and has also served on the boards of Australian Consolidated Press and Television & Telecasters Pty Ltd (Network TEN).
In 2013, Ita was recognised as Australian of the Year for using her media profile to raise awareness of a number of public health issues including arthritis, dementia, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS and prostate cancer.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Centennial & Moore Park Trust, Dementia Australia and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Council.
Other Interests: Theatre, Opera, Ballet, Aging and Aged Care, Preventive Health Strategies.
David Byrne KC
Retired Judge
QC, BA, LLB (Hons) (Melb), Dip.Dr.Comp. (Paris), Dip.Fr.S. (Melb). F I Arb A
Retired, Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Mediator accredited with Resolution Institute (formerly Institute of Arbitrators Australia)
Grade 1 Arbitrator registered with Resolution Institute (formerly Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia)
Law Student at Melbourne Uni 1958 - 62
Barrister 1965 -1991
Judge 1991 - 2010
Other Interests:
- Book lover/binder
- Opera lover and Wagner opera groupie
- Francophile
and
- Distance Walker
Shawn Callahan
Anecdote International
Founder
Shawn Callahan is the author of the award-winning Putting Stories to Work: Mastering Business Storytelling and the Founder at Anecdote, the worldí¢äåä¢s largest business storytelling enterprise.He started his career in technology with companies such as Oracle and IBM but realised, at the end of the day, it was the human factors that determined the success of any enterprise. In 2004 Shawn founded Anecdote, a firm that helps leaders and sellers find and tell great oral stories. He works with Global 1,000 companies such as Shell, Danone, Microsoft, TESCO, Allianz and Bayer all around the world. Anecdote licenses its business storytelling programs to companies that are delivered in 11 languages in over 26 countries.Shawn is based in Melbourne, Australia and can be contacted at www.anecdote.com. His LinkedIn is au.linkedin.com/in/shawncallahan
Nicholas Callinan
Collins Hill
CEO
Retired after 35 years as a pioneer of venture capital in Australia and internationally. Extensive experience in working with entrepreneurs, private companies, government bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. Early career was as a professional engineer and then senior business executive. Two years National Service after university. Lived overseas for 18 years in the USA, UK and France. Married to Libby; two sons. Interests: woodworking, tennis, reading, music, science and technology.
Believe in the Enlightenment values of evidence and reason.
Decorations / Awards / Honours : Batchelor of Engineering, Master of Business Administration, AO.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations: Currently: Australian String Quartet - Director and Past Chair, Catholic Housing Services Limited - Director.
Andrew Campbell
Cube Group
Partner
I’m focussed on making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of Australians, and work with leaders across the public and non-profit sectors who share this calling.
Professionally, I lead Cube Group’s organisational design and performance practice, and work with boards and executive teams to build capable organisations and improve impact. Over the last 12 years with Cube I’ve relished helping public purpose leaders to think afresh and change things for the better (more often, satisfaction rests in helping teams negotiate substantial challenges and make incremental, compounding improvements along the way).
Prior to consulting I spent a decade in a variety of social policy and public sector roles in Australia and the UK, including fascinating stints with the Chair of the UK Commission for Integration and Cohesion, Chair of the London Serious Youth Violence Board, and Mayor of London. I care deeply about the quality of our public institutions and civil society.
I’m an avid 3RRR, 3PBS and 3MBS listener and delight in taking advantage of all our city offers, from the Tote to the Recital Centre. Otherwise, my wife and I are flat out chasing our young boys (aged seven and nine) around, and stuffing them full to the gills with the wonderful experiences that Victoria’s national parks, state forests, coastlines and rivers have to offer.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
IPAA Victoria, Melbourne Cricket Club, Richmond Football Club, past and current volunteering with the Bayside Toy Library and Brighton Primary School Council
Other Interests:
Visual arts, live music, popular history, 'politics philosophy and economics', camping and enjoying Victoria's natural environment
Sally Capp
City of Melbourne
Lord Mayor
Sally Capp was elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne in May 2018, the first woman to be directly elected as Lord Mayor. She chairs the Major Projects portfolio and the Major Events portfolio.
Sally was also the first woman to hold the post of Agent-General for Victoria in the UK, Europe and Israel. She has also served as the CEO for the Committee for Melbourne and COO of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Sally began her career as a Solicitor, after completing Law (Hons) and Commerce degrees at the University of Melbourne.
Sally has held senior roles at both KPMG and ANZ, and she took the small business she co-founded to the ASX. Most recently she was Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia.
A passionate Magpies supporter, in 2004 Sally made history as the first female board member of Collingwood FC. She is involved in a number of charities, currently sitting on the board of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Foundation and the Melbourne University Faculty of Business and Economics.
Heather Carmody
The Nous Group
Principal
Heather Carmody is the Principal of the Nous Group. Heather has been the Director of Heuris Partners and Principal of Consultant Mettle and Consultant Empower (now Right) Consulting. Heather has played a significant national role over several years in promoting diversity and EEO practices to the private sector.
Wesa Chau
Cultural Intelligence
Director
Wesa is the director of Cultural Intelligence, a consulting company specialised in raising the understanding of the power of cultural diversity. In addition to that she is co-founder of Poliversity, a partisan organisation to increase cultural diversity in politics.
She has strong passion to increase cultural diversity in Australia and around the world. Intercultural understanding is fast becoming a key skill for both global business and in multicultural workplaces, like in Australia, Canada, USA, Britain and NZ. Wesa's passion in this area and a leader in the field can assist further workplaces to capitalise on the human talent of culturally diverse communities. As part of this, in 2017, she worked with a number of organisational development professionals and created a leadership development program Culture+ for change agents in multiculturalism and inclusivity. This is formed as part of a broader movement 'Belonging from the inside out' to assist future leaders to belong and contribute from a space of strength and integrity.
Her career experience ranges from working with migrants, international students and refugees, through to media and communications for diverse audiences, advocacy for multiculturalism and research on diversity and leadership. She was the founder of Australian Federation of International Students in 2002 and grew the organisation to service 8000 students during her tenure. Her role was instrumental in helping to establish the International Student Care Service (predecessor to Study Melbourne). She has also held a senior manager position in the disability sector.
Wesa has received several awards for her contribution in the Multicultural and international students areas. In 2016 she was awarded the prestigious Victorian International Education Internationalisation Award in recognition of her work with international students for over a decade. In 2013 she was the Australian Leadership Awardee from ADC Forum and named Young Victorian of the Year in 2010. In 2006 she received the Victorian Multicultural Commission’s Award for Excellence in Service Delivery to Multicultural Victoria.
She is a pioneer in many areas, including in academic research, where she explores topics ranging from Asian diaspora in philanthropy, leadership, cultural diplomacy and business, cultural diversity and politics. The most recent one was a research on Asian-Australian Diaspora in Philanthropy, commissioned by the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, which has been a very popular research, as it the only research to-date on Asian-Australian's involvement in philanthropy.
Wesa was a fellow of the inaugural Scanlon-Swinburne Intercultural Fellowship, travelling to India and Malaysia working with academics and government officials to better understand diversity and alumni networks in India and Malaysia. In 2017, Wesa was invited to participate on the Australia-China High Level Dialogue alongside Australian very senior business leaders and diplomats.
Her tertiary education encompasses Engineering, Marketing, Law, Management and Governance. She is a current PhD candidate researching the topic of political skills and has a certificate IV in TAE.
Maryum Chaudhry
inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violece
Executive Manager
MF INAUGURAL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT Maryum is a strategic leader with deep experience building and managing teams and start-up organisations to deliver and actualise social impact. She is the Sector and Community Executive Manager at inTouch.
She has more than 15 years’ experience in positions of leadership, program management, strategic stakeholder engagement and fundraising to innovatively refine and address dynamic and complex public policy challenges.
She is a passionate leader driven by building coalitions to strengthen communities and build purposeful connections.
Maryum is the Deputy Chair of Centre for Muslim Wellbeing. Her board and community roles have ranged from Women’s Legal Service of Victoria, Victorian Multicultural Commission, Islamic Council of Victoria, Fund Advisory Committee (Inner North Community Foundation), Multicultural Museums Victoria to AFL Multicultural Community Ambassador.
She holds a Bachelor of Business from RMIT University and an Executive Master of Arts from the University of Melbourne.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
2017 Victoria's Multicultural Awards for Excellence
2014 Williamson Community Leadership Program - Leadership Victoria
2012 Leading Youth Award - Australian Federal Police
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Board Member, Holmesglen Institute
Vice-Chair, Centre for Muslim Wellbeing
President, Sanad Foundation
Other Interests:
Volunteering
Nina Christesen
CQL
Founder and Director
Nina worked in Strategy, Change Management, Innovation and Leadership for large organisations for over 25 years. She oversaw the largest change program in Australia involving over 90,000 employees, supporting the transition of Telecom to Telstra. She advised CSIRO research leaders on commercialisation for over 8 years. Her positions included Associate Director C&L/PWC, Director Axon Consulting and General Manager Telstra. In her spare time, for over 10 years, she produced documentaries on social issues for NGO and NFP organisations in Australia and Asia.
After her corporate career, she established a fund with her husband, developing quantitative systems for financial markets. Her interests include painting in her studio, camping and bushwalking in remote places, cycling and kayaking on the Yarra. Nina is a Director of the Melbourne Forum.
Megan Clark
Australian Space Agency Advisory Board
Non Executive Director
Dr Megan Clark AC, leads the Australian Space Agency Advisory Board in providing advice and strategic direction to the agency.
Megan’s experience is in science, research, education, investment banking, mining and technology. Previously, she was Head of the Australian Space Agency (2018 to 2020) and Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Following roles with Western Mining Corporation, Megan was a Director at N M Rothschild and a Vice President Technology at BHP.
Board appointments include Non-Executive Director of CSL Limited since 2016, Rio Tinto since 2014, member of the Bank of America Global Advisory Council, member of the MITRE Australia Advisory Board and Deputy Chancellor Monash University.
She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Megan was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2014 for eminent service to scientific research and development. She received the Australian Academy of Science Medal in 2019.
Belinda Collins
Belinda is passionate about the transformative power of philanthropy and strives for Swinburne to be the best institution in which to invest to bring about meaningful change. This is delivered through impactful philanthropic partnerships and sound governance of philanthropic funds.
Prior to joining Swinburne Belinda was privileged to occupy leadership roles in philanthropy with University the University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, DVA Navion Consulting, the AFL and Richmond Football Club.
Prior to her 15 year career in philanthropy, Belinda enjoyed a diverse career in strategic communications and private business. She led World Vision Australia's media team through the Boxing Day tsunami period, at a time when the public donated $80m in 14 days through initiatives like the World Cup Cricket Tsunami match. This high-profile crisis period taught Belinda much about crisis communication and the importance of sound governance of philanthropic funds. She co-authored Warrior Princess, a best-selling non-fiction book on the HIV pandemic translated into four languages; and ran her own PR Consultancy Richardson Communications Group.
I'm a mum of three.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
GAICD
Ambassador, Burnet Institute
2002 Young Hero of Business
2011 Australian Davos Connection
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Board Member Barbara Dicker Brain Sciences Foundation
Member Richmond FC
School council member Ashburton Primary School
Auskick coach
Other Interests:
Tennis, yoga, swimming, time with my family.
Laura Conti (McConnell)
#GoKindly
Co-Founder
#GoKindly - Bedding Basics Co-Founder | Prev CFO | Social Entrepreneur | NED @ Wellsprings For Women | Lived experience of homelessness and poverty | BCom + BArts | Feminism, with intersectional experiences | Fierce & passionate about lived experiences being centred | ex fundamentalist Christian/Sect/Cult background | Trauma survivor |
Melanie Cook
Cook Beattie & Associates
Principal Director
An accomplished CEO and senior executive with over 25 years’ experience; 15 years leading large, multifunctional teams throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and USA. The three most recent roles were leading large energy organizations based in SE Asia, where she combined her strong strategic and industry-leading inclusive people skills to lead complex and diverse teams across operations, commercial, organizational change and industry-wide advocacy activities.
As an engineer, her extensive leadership experience is backed by a deeply technical & governance-focused foundation.
Melanie has recently returned to Melbourne where she co-founded Cook Beattie & Associates who provide specialist coaching, advisory and advocacy services. Offerings include executive, career & team coaching; CEO onboarding; STEM, diversity & inclusion advocacy; strategy development & facilitation; board & business advisory. Client base includes established and emerging leaders in architecture and design, energy, telecommunications, government, finance, not for profit and AFLW.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Recipient of CHEMECA’s Udhe Shedden Medal & Prize, Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Graduate and Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors
Graduate and Member of Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership
Mentor for Minerva Network (Senior Business Women supporting Professional Female Athletes)
Member of Women on Boards
Member of Woodend Winter Arts Festival Committee
Other Interests:
I have a strong interest in fostering social enterprise to support organizations achieving the dual goal of delivering both profit and purpose
I strongly support the need for Australia's energy transition from fossil fuels to reliable, affordable renewable energy
I strongly support women's continued success in gender non traditional fields
Assoc. Prof Paul Cooper
Deakin University, Health Informatics Management
Associate Professor
Paul specialises in strategic advisory services aimed at helping organisations make the most effective use of information and digital capabilities. He lectures and researches with Deakin University and Epworth Healthcare in the field of Health Informatics. He has a unique blend of insights from his experience in medical research, IT, business consulting and digital marketing.Paul is known for his high energy levels and strategic vision which helps bring colleagues and team members achieve goals. He believes strongly in the benefits of diversity and has been a diversity champion throughout his career.
Felicity Costigan
Consulting Services
Consultant
Bio:
HSC Korowa Anglican Girls School 1982 Graduated Monash University, 1987, BA (Hons), Grad Dip, Librarianship, 1989, Melbourne University.
Vogue Magazine 1992
The Sunday Age 1993-95
The Herald Sun 1996-2007
Philanthropy Career 2007 - to present - St. Vincents Hospital, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Hospital, Deakin University and RMIT University.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Board member: Volunteers Australia, St. Mary's House of Welcome and The Lyceum Club of Melbourne.
Voluntary Work: Baarka Aboriginal Corporation, Wilcannia -helping fundraising efforts. Banyule Clean Energy Group - getting solar panels on government school buildings and Women Can - advisory for media Campaign - getting refugee or migrant women into dextrous trades. Fundraising strategy for The Mac.Robertson's Girls School.
Other Interests:
Two Children - Millie 21 and Gus 14 years old.
Dog: Cavalier King Charles named Humphrey - possibly the love of my life.
Horses, sheep, cows
Farming practices
En Plein Air oil painting.
Tennis
AFL footy - Bombers
International Trade
Social Justice
David Crawford AO
Retired Company Director
David is enjoying retirement having been the:
Chairman of Foster's Group,
Chairman of Lend Lease Corporation,
Chairman of National Foods,
Chairman of KPMG Australia,
Director of BHP Billiton,
Director of Westpac,
Chairman of the Australian Ballet,
Chairman of South32, and
Vice-President (and formerly Treasurer) of the Melbourne Cricket Club.
David Crawford served as Council Member and Chairman of the private school Scotch College, Melbourne, and has also headed inquiries for the Australian Government which reviewed the Australian Football League and Football Federation Australia.
In the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours Crawford was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "service to business as a director of public companies, to sport, particularly through the review and restructure of national sporting bodies, and to the community through contributions to arts and educational organisations".
David Crouch
David Crouch Concepts
Owner
Landscape and horticulture consultant.
I live in Gippsland.
I am a landscape designer and a horticulturist with many years experience in public open space management.
I also have experience with historic landscapes and gardens.
I'm semi-retired but still take on commissions.
Sue Dahn AM
Pitcher Partners Investment Services
Partner & Executive Director
Sue Dahn is Partner and Executive Director at Pitcher Partner Investment Services. Sue is on the Investment Committee at Trinity College (Melb Uni), the Australian Communities Foundation and the Victorian Council of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Sue is an Independent Non-Executive Director at Victorian Traditional Owners Fund Management Limited, MTAA Superannuation Fund Pty and AIA Australia.
Tom Danos OAM
Victorian Bar
Barrister
I am a practising barrister since 1972 specialising in Criminal law.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
OAM
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
MCC
Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club
Geelong Football Club Social Club
Alicia Darvall
Be Collective
Director Stakeholder Development
Alicia is an accomplished executive director and community cultivator, leading early stage and emerging impact driven organisations in Australia and the USA.
She was integral in building the Australian and New Zealand B Corp community from launch to a thriving purpose-driven business community with a combined turnover of more than $1 billion in 2017.
Recently as the Executive Director of Global Partners for B Lab, she was responsible for the development and management of B Lab's Global Partnerships and supporting the expansion of B Corporations globally. She was the Chair of B Lab's Global Governance Council and leading collective action projects around the world.
Alicia is the Chair of Melbourne Metropolitan Development Advisory Panel (MDAP) an expert panel that advises on integrated approaches to metropolitan development and the Inner South East Partnership - Metropolitan Partnerships for the Victorian State Government.
Alicia is a graduate of Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership's Executive Colloquium and a Williamson Fellow of Leadership Victoria. She hold a Masters of Management, Deakin University and a Bachelors Social Science (Environmental Policy) from RMIT University.
Prof Glyn Davis
Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Glyn Davis AC is the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and formerly CEO of Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia's largest philanthropic foundation, and previously Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.
Sandie de Wolf AM
Domestic Violence Victoria
Interim CEO
Sandie de Wolf AM retired from Berry Street after 26 years as CEO in December 2017. She feels honoured to have contributed to many different policy and advisory bodies and to have been recognised with a La Trobe University Distunguished Alumni Award, the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll, and Order of Australia. She has joined a number of boards and councils and has taken on a 6 month role as Interim CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria
The Hon Mary Delahunty
Luminosity Australia Pty Ltd
Executive Director
Mary Delahunty MAICD has high level experience in Media, Government& the Not for Profit sectors. She is an award winning journalist, former senior State Government Minister, published Author, Media and Governance Consultant, Volunteer and non- Executive Directer in many Not-for-profit organisations. Mary is currently the Managing Director of Luminosity Australia, Chair of Her Place Women's Museum Australia, Director + Chair of Governance Committee at both Melbourne Recital Centre and Central Highlands Rural Health was a member of the Board of the National Library of Australia is former Chair of Orchestra Victoria. Mary was the founding CEO and National Director of startup company Writing Australia. Mary was Minister for Education, Planning Women Victoria's longest serving Arts Minister 1999-2006 and awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001
Deng Yong Deng
South Sudanese Australian Youth United
Clinical Pharmacist & Medical Student
MF INAUGURAL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT
Yong was born in South Sudan, but his family fled to Kenya, after his father was killed in the civil war. Yong’s family became refugees and spent almost 16 years in the Kakuma refugee camp before relocating to Melbourne in June 2009.
Yong came to know about medicine through its absence. In the camp, as a child, he constantly witnessed family, relatives and community members lose their lives to diseases that are curable. He survived by chance after contracting whooping cough at the age of 2 weeks old however, his younger sister died of whooping cough at the age of 6 months old! Lack of access to proper healthcare became a driving force to his passion in pursuing a career in healthcare.
Determined to pursue a career in Medicine, things were not as easier as he thought when he was going through VCE! Faced with housing issues, challenges of a new country and new culture, a teenaged Yong struggled to navigate the Australian’s education system well. It was until pharmacy school that Yong met Nick, his first Australian mentor.
Through mentorship, Yong was able to thrive as a clinical pharmacist and continuously build on his leadership skills. He co-founded the South Sudanese Australian Youth United (SSAYU), a non-for-profit organisation that focus on empowering young people to be independently capable of leading meaningful lives. Yong is a big believer of paying it forward as he believes that if it wasn’t for others who paved the way for him, he won’t be remotely close to where he is today.
Sara Dennis
Victorian Government Solicitor's Office
Lead Counsel - Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Sara works as Lead Counsel in the Litigation & Dispute Resoution branch of the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office. She is an experienced litigation lawyer who worked for almost 20 years in private practice - initially at Middletons lawyers (now K&L Gates) and then at Clayton Utz for 15 Year’s where she was a member of the internationally recognised Class Actions and Product Safety team. Sara also has experience in Legal Project Management and worked for a short period with a Litigation Funder in order to understand more about this new offering in the market.
Sara became aware of Melbourne Forum whilst undertaking the Committee for Melbourne’s Future Focus Group program in 2014-2015 and is thrilled to be part of this wonderful organisation.
John Denton
Denton Corker Marshall
Director
John Denton is a celebrated architect and Director of Denton Corker Marshell. John is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and in 1996 received the AIA Gold Medal. Between 2006- 2008 John Denton worked as the Victorian Government Architect to advise the Premier and Cabinet on achieving better architecture and urban design outcomes. In 2007 he received a Doctor of Laws from Monash University, where he is an Adjunct Professor of Architecture in the Faculty of Art and Design.
Amanda Derham
Non Executive Director
Amanda is a non executive director, investor in startups and disruptive technologies, CEO, project manager, mentor, golf nut, Japanese scholar and Classics student.
Amanda is experienced in business strategy & development, community & stakeholder management, government relations, technology, digital media, marketing, investment, project management, financial and commercial management, corporate governance. She has a strong focus on financial and non-financial reporting including strategy, risk management, value creation and process improvement. Her non -executive director roles includes V Line PTY Ltd, Anglicare Victoria Ltd, Scotch College Foundation, Golf Victoria Ltd.
Amanda’s portfolio career includes work as CEO of a female founder focused investor group, in a Prime Minister’s personal office, in corporate affairs with large miners, as an executive director in a family manufacturing business and a marketing consultant.
Deborah Di Natale
Council to Homeless Persons
CEO
Deborah Di Natale is CEO of Council to Homeless Persons. She has a career-long commitment to social justice and advocacy for those who are experiencing disadvantage. Deborah joined Council to Homeless Persons in 2023, following her role as CEO of the Northern Territory Council of Social Service, a peak body made up of not-for-profits, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and NGOs. She previously worked at Victoria Legal Aid in the family, law and civil division for over six years, as the Principal Solicitor of the Tenants’ Union advocating for housing as a human right, as the Legal Services Director at Justice Connect across Victoria and New South Wales, and as the Principal Lawyer at the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service. In both 2021 and 2022, Deborah was named as one of the Northern Territory’s 100 most powerful women. She holds an Executive Masters in Public Administration from the University of Melbourne. With a deep interest in access to justice and system reform, Deborah is committed to working with the government, the sector and its allied services to forge better social outcomes for people without a home, while supporting a strong and sustainable homelessness service sector in Victoria.
Dr Meredith Doig OAM
Rationalist Society of Australia
Non-Executive Director
Dr Meredith Doig is a professional company director and governance consultant. Directorships have included the Port of Melbourne Corporation and its predecessor the Victorian Channels Authority, V/Line Passenger Pty Ltd, Bakers Delight Holdings, Federation University, Federation Training TAFE, Melbourne University, its subsidiary MUSUL and its affiliate the Graduate Union, Pathways for Diversity Education, Fintona Girls’ School and the Driver Education Centre of Australia. She is President of the Rationalist Society of Australia, Vice President of Taradale Music Inc, Secretary of Ardoch Owners Corporation and on the board of Dying with Dignity Victoria. Her consulting work focused on governance and organisation effectiveness. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and for five years taught their flagship Company Directors Course. In the area of leadership development, she was for ten years a moderator with the Cranlana Programme on Ethics and the Good Society. Her Australian honour was for service to higher education, business and the community. Meredith’s career spans 10 years in education and research, three years overseas, and 15 years as a corporate executive in manufacturing (Ford Australia), mining (Rio Tinto) and banking (ANZ) followed by 20 years in consulting and governance. Her education followed the classical liberal tradition, with studies in pure mathematics, linguistics and classical civilisation. She served on the Federal Government’s Higher Education Council for four years, and has been a member of numerous university advisory committees. Apart from her professional career, Meredith has been a long-time community activist, lobbying on topics ranging from tax and industry development to social equity and corporate governance. In 2016, she was a candidate for election to the Australian Senate. In 2004, she completed a PhD on The Nature of Organisational Sustainability, focusing on corporate responsibility and ‘triple bottom line’ accountability. For over 40 years she has been a passionate motorcyclist, advising the Federal Government on motorcycle safety and becoming the first Chief Motorcycle Instructor in Australia. She still rides a BMW 650GS and has completed five overseas motorcycle trips.
David Downie
Deakin University
David Downie has been a leader in the Victorian Government's water policy since 2005. David first established himelf as Deputy Secretary of the Water Sector Group and later as General Manager in 2007. David has extensive experience in senior leadership within Government and the private sector, previously working with the water, energy and electricity sectors on a range of significant national reforms, including the creation of the national energy market and the restructuring of Victoriaäó»s water sector in the late 80s and early 90s.
Brian Doyle AM
Retiree
Born in Tasmania
Bachelor of Law - University of Tasmania
Bachelor of Civil Law - University of Oxford
Practised law for 40 years
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Member of Order of Australia (AM)
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Director of L'Arche Australia for 10 years
Director of L'Arche International for 9 years
Director of Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation for 22 years, including Chairman for 5 years
Other Interests:
Travel
Reading
Mary Draper AM
Austin Health
Board Director
For the last 25 years, my work has been in health, with a particular passion around issues of consumer participation and decision making and quality and safety of health care and I have a deep knowledge of health Policy and health services. I have done work in this area as a researcher, a policy maker, a consumer representative and CEO of Victoria's health consumer organisation, and in a hospital setting, now as board director at Austin Health for the past five years. Prior, my work was around women's policy, in particular as Director of the Women's Policy Coordination Unit during the Cain government. I think of myself as strongly policy oriented.
Stephen Duckett
Dr Stephen Duckett has held senior health care leadership positions in Australia and Canada, with a reputation for creativity, evidence-based innovation and reform in areas as diverse as hospital funding (introduction of activity-based funding for hospitals) and quality (new systems of measurement and accountability for safety of hospital care).
Peter Duncan AO
Student - Ex Orica
Chair
Peter Duncan was a founding committee member of the Melbourne Forum. He has been the Chairman of Orica and of Scania Australia. Previously he was Chairman of Shell Australia and Shell New Zealand. He has been a director of Woodside Petroleum, The National Australia Bank and the CSIRO. He is a governor of CEDA; past Chair of the Cranlana Programme Foundation and a past Chair of the Australian German Association. He is a past member of the Committee for Melbourne and the Australian German Chamber of Commerce. He graduated in 2017 with a masters degree in applied linguistics and is at present studying philosophy at the University of New England
Kate Dundas
UN Global Compact Network Australia
Executive Director
My background is in design and I have spent many years working in city strategy across urban design, landscape architecture and strategic planning. More recently I have moved into sustainability, the circular economy, strategic foresight and futures and am currently working in operations.
I have experience across the private sector, state and local government and have also set up a few businesses and NFPs.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
I am a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Manufacturing in London for my work in design and planning.
Other Interests:
I have a new found passion for weight lifting, I also love hanging out with my two young boys.
Michael Dundon
VicSuper
Chief Executive Officer
A highly experienced CEO with extensive experience in the banking, finance, insurance and utilities industries, Ií¢äåä¢ve always been driven by a passion to help and advise people on investing and saving money to create wealth. I promote open cultures that challenge people to do things differently and where collaboration and shared goals drive outcomes that benefit the member.
Ian Dunn AM
Lawyer and Mediator
Ian Dunn is a lawyer who was a partner in a city law firm for thirty years before becoming CEO of the Law Institute of Victoria. He has been a qualified mediator since 1993 and continues to carry out mediations and consultations for the legal profession. Amongst his previous roles he has been Chair of the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation , Director at Northern Health, and Ombudsman ( General Insurance) at the Financial Ombudsman Service , and he has had a long involvement with the La Trobe University School of Law where he is Adjunct Professor.
Since 2015 he has been a Director at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where he has Chaired the Community Advisory Committee.
He has had a long interest in the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania where he fly fishes, in choral music, in politics and all things affecting our civil society
Catherine Easton
Non Executive Director
Catherine's career has seen her work across both the commercial and for-purpose sectors in executive roles. Catherine has strong skills and extensive experience in strategic planning, business operations, shared services, organisational culture development, stakeholder management, and program delivery. Over the last 15 years or so, Catherine has contributed to a number of NFP organisations as a volunteer in board, committee and mentor roles across the arts, addiction, mental health and family violence sectors.
Australian Institute of Company Directors - Graduate;
Women on Boards - Member;
First Step - Deputy Chair;
You Matter (Aust) Ltd - Non-Executive Director;
Palais Theatre Community Fund - previous Committee Member;
Arts Project Australia - previous Chair, Deputy Chair and board member. Current Policy & Planning Committee Member;
Fitted for Work - Lead Mentor;
Other Interests: A love of lifelong learning; Reading; Learning Italian; Visiting galleries and museums; Bushwalking and spending time in the country
Peter Elliott AM
Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design
As one of Australia’s most awarded architects, he has won more than 60 national awards and commendations across a range of disciplines, including heritage, institutional, regional and landscape architecture and urban design.
As a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA), Peter contributes to the profession at the highest level. Peter’s designs, built works and his own writings have been published in architecture and design journals across Australia, the UK, the USA, Japan, Italy and elsewhere, as well as in mainstream media. He has influenced countless architecture students to explore the possibilities of community facilities and public housing, and the benefits to society of responsible public architecture, while his office is recognised as “a noted training ground for young architects for more than 30 years”.
Katherine Ellis
Leadership Victoria
CEO
Katherine is CEO of Leadership Victoria and a graduate of LV's Williamson Community Leadership Program (2007). LV's leadership programs build the capacity and awareness of business, government, community and academic leaders across Victoria to contribute to a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world.
Previously Katherine was CEO of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic), the peak body for young people and the youth sector, including during the COVID pandemic and the Black Summer bushfires, which significantly affected many young people and social impact organisations. In this role, she advocated with policy makers and led systemic, collective action projects to improve outcomes for young Victorians.
Prior to that, Katherine was based in London for six years as Director of Youth Affairs for the Commonwealth of Nations, working on youth empowerment policy and programming across 53 countries with governments, youth leaders and other stakeholders. She also spent five years leading and transforming the Reach Foundation, and periods consulting to other organisations such as Teach for Australia and the Foundation for Young Australians.
Earlier, Katherine spent over a decade in the private sector, working both in Australia and internationally in a variety of analysis and strategy roles.
David Ensor
The Bourke Group
Principal
I have CEO experience in leading change and growth in public sector, NFP, university, membership and private institutions. Entrepreneurial and ethical leadership to achieve significant added value.
•Government - Commonwealth / State / European Union / USAID
•Government relations
•Development aid / International NGO/NFP sectors
•Higher/VET education (university and private)
•Fundraising
•Resource Mobilisation (Research, Teaching, Infrastructure), Community Engagement
•Advocacy, partnerships and public affairs
•Regional & rural development
Robyn Erskine
Brooke Bird
Partner
Robyn is a Partner at Brooke Bird, a Melbourne based accounting practice that specialises in Insolvency, Restructure and Turnaround.
In 2011 Robyn became the first female to be appointed as the National President of The Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association (ARITA) the professional body for insolvency & restructuring professionals in Australia, a role she held from 2011 to 2013.
In 2017 Robyn was Awarded Life Membership for long, dedicated and distinguished service to ARITA and the Profession.
Robyn continues to actively serve the accounting profession. From October 2017 to March 2021 Robyn was a director of CPA Australia. In her role as a board director at CPA Australia she was involved in the overhaul of the organisation’s governance and risk management frameworks and in the development of a fresh strategic plan.
Robyn has a strong knowledge of matters effecting the global accounting profession and has a passion for Ethics. Until December 2020 she held the position as Deputy Chair of the Small and Medium Practices Advisory Group at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) where she represented CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies.
Through being actively involved in the profession she has gained great insights into the important role professionals play in shaping the economy and protecting the public interest.
Andy Evans
Star of the South Windfarm Pty Ltd
CEO
Energetic founder, investor and CEO with extensive experience in the energy and resources sector in the Asia Pacific region, particularly renewables.
Co-founder, investor and inaugural CEO of the Star of the South, Australia’s first proposed offshore wind farm, which is under development.
Investment and leadership involvement in other energy ventures with a focus on innovation and vision including further offshore wind developments (Oceanex Energy) and facilitating the transition of the logistics industry to the use of electric and hydrogen trucks in Australia using low cost clean energy (NewVolt).
Dr. Michelle Evans
Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business
Director
As Director of the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership, Michelle also leads Indigenous initiatives at Melbourne Business School and the Faculty of Business and Economics.
Michelle is co-Founder of Australia’s number one Indigenous Business Master Class program, MURRA, based at Melbourne Business School, founder of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the Faculty of Victorian college of the Arts and Music, and founder of WALAN MAYINYGU Charles Sturt University’s Indigenous entrepreneurship Pop Up innovation hub program in 2017-18.
A Fulbright scholar, Michelle has a unique combination of professional experience in management, community engagement and facilitation coupled with a strong track record in research.
Erika Feller AO
University of Melbourne
Vice Chancellor's Fellow
Erika Feller is Vice Chancellor's Fellow at The University of Melbourne. From 2005 to April 2013 Ms Feller held the post of Assistant High Commissioner (Protection), one of the four top management positions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This was the culmination of a 26 year long career with UNHCR, and had been preceded by 14 years service as an Australian diplomat, in Canberra and overseas.
For UNHCR, Erika served both in Geneva and in the field. She was the initiator and manager of the 2001-2 Global Consultations on International Protection, which generated the Agenda for Protection, the internationally endorsed global "road map" on protection policy for refugees. She has visited all major refugee situations during her time with UNHCR, and is broadly respected as a refugee law advocate who has been widely published. She was made a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
Prof Rachel Fensham
University of Melbourne
Director, Australian Cultural Data Engine
Currently the Director of the Australian Cultural Data Engine, a research lab based at the University of Melbourne that provides infrastructure for collaborative research by increasing knowledge and expertise in the digital humanities. We support a range of projects that require understanding the ethics and politics of digital and data-based research with and for diverse communities.
I am also the Vice-President of the Yarra River Keepers Association, a key advocacy organisation for the Yarra River/Birrarung in Victoria and a leading body in the management and policy formation for riparian environments in Australia.
My academic career includes leadership of large interdisciplinary schools, covering the fields of journalism, art history, gender and indigenous studies, as well as literature and performance. In both the UK and Australia, I have experience in management of complex financial and personnel environments, and haveled public-private sector projects including redevelopment and redesign of major university initiatives. In the arts sector, I've thirty years experience in a range of creative, management and policy roles and currently manage a research project looking at young people's access to theatre in regional Victoria.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA), UK
Co-Winner of the Digital Storytelling prize in the Victorian Community History Awards, 2020
Brian Fitzpatrick Prize for historical research, 1980
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Vice-President, Yarra River Keepers Association
Management Committee, AusStage: Live Performance Database
Other Interests:
Passionate about the environment and actively involved with heritage issues in Melbourne.
Nick Field
I'm currently a Director in the economic and social advisory team at Urbis, supporting public sector clients across Victoria.
Previously I held the role of Chief Operating Officer for three years at both the Essential Services Commission (regulator) and the Victorian Government Solicitor;s Office; with a remit across: finance, people, IT, procurement, facilities, information management and marketing.
I have been a management consultant for over 15 years and as the co-owner of Cube Group worked with every State Government department, multiple local councils, public entities and emergency services organisations. Originally from the UK I migrated to Melbourne in 2004.
Jo Fisher
Fisher Leadership
Managing Director
Bio Founder and Managing Director of Fisher Leadership, an Australian-owned internationally operating Leadership Talent Advisory and Executive Search firm. Jo has been recognised as a leading advocate for the importance of cognitive diversity on boards and across senior leadership teams, and positive organisational psychology as it applies to leadership at all levels of the corporation. Her own success as a leader has been built on the ability to innovate and attract exceptional talent who share her passion for supporting socially positive outcomes.
She is considered an expert in the changing world of work and the emergence of the ‘Gig Executive’.
She is an Australian committee member with the International Women’s Forum, a former Telstra Business Women's Award Winner, and an Adjunct Professor with Deakin University.
Her qualifications include a Master of Business Administration (Deakin); a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (Melbourne); and Graduate Certificate in Management (Deakin). She is also a Graduate and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and is an Accredited Strengths Profile Practitioner.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Adjunct Professorship – Deakin University
The international Association of Executive Search and Leadership
Consultants (AESC) Global Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence 2019
Winner Business Owner Category, Victorian Telstra Business Womens Award
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Adjunct Professor – Deakin University
Diversity Council Australia Member (DCA)
International Women’s Forum Member (IWF)
Infoxchange Pty Ltd Board Member
Melbourne Recital Centre Member
National Education Advisory Committee Member (NEAC) for Australian
Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
National Gallery Victoria Member
Other Interests:
Melbourne Recital Centre - Music
National Gallery Victoria – Art
Theatre
Meeting young future leaders
Jan Fitzgerald
Destination Gippsland
Non Executive Director
Jan is an experienced non-executive director and audit & risk committee chair on large public, private and not-for-profit boards. She is currently on the boards of Think Water and Destination Gippsland, and an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority. Jan is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and CPA Australia.
Jan’s executive career spanned retail, banking, water and consulting, in roles encompassing finance, accounting, sustainability/ESG and retail operations. Most recently she was a member of the executive team at Salvos Stores, a 350+ site national retail business, and a leader in the circular economy. Through her career Jan has been successful at leading large teams, managing large P&Ls and developing and delivering organisational strategic objectives. She has a strong and successful history of shaping and embedding ESG strategies and delivering social and community outcomes in many organisations.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Member St Hilary's Anglican Church Kew
Supporter and fundraiser for FightMND
Other Interests:
Sustainability, Running, Cycling, Skiing, Camping/Caravan holidays, Australian birds
Katie Flannigan
Author
Author
For the last 20 years Katie has worked in the Public and Private Health Sector in various capacities. Her current role is CEO of her company Form Plus Function Pty Ltd which manufactures and provides stylish assistive technology to those who are ageing or have special needs.
Aaron Flavell
HousingFirst
GM Strategy and Communications
Aaron's career has been driven by a passion to improve the status-quo through bringing ideas and people together to deliver worthwhile strategic initiatives. He is drawn to challenges that require solid strategic nous and high levels of collaboration and trust between individuals, teams or organisations. He enjoys inspiring teams, leading them and helping individuals achieve their ambitions. He is particularly interested in improving built-environment outcomes that are more sustainable and customer-centric. He has worked at Accenture in strategy consulting, change consulting at Wheeler Strobel and more recently at RACV across a variety of senior positions including corporate strategy, major capital works and growing several home services businesses.
Aaron is a keen sailor, active member of Black Rock Yacht Club and proud father to Sophia who loves competitive ballet dancing and performing.
Richard Fleming
Startup Legal
Director
Richard runs Startup Legal and has provided legal advice in the corporate, commercial and technology areas for more than 30 years. Richard is the longstanding chair of the Ethics Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) and a board member of legalsuper. He has previously been a board member of the Legal Services Board and the LIV.
Other Interests:
Cycling, travel
Dr Meridee Flower
General Practitioner retired
In 2023 I retired from General Practice after 38 years. I have a special interest in mental health and recent qualifications in Internal Family Systems therapy with ongoing involvement in this field. I facilitate peer online support groups for general practitioners.
Jules Flynn
Zoomo
COO
Jules Flynn is COO at Zoomo, an Australian business providing ebikes and other light electric vehicles for last-mile delivery in Australia and around the world. Jules has worked on sustainable transport and infrastructure in Australia, Europe and the US including managing NYC’s bike share scheme and leading post Super Storm Sandy recovery and resiliency efforts for the NYC Subway. Jules is a board member of the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, a global non-profit organisation that focuses on sustainable and equitable urban transportation. Jules has a BEng/BComm from the University of Melbourne and a MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School.
Jane Foley
Box Hill Institute
Non Executive Director
I am a Non Executive Director at Box Hill Institute (TAFE and Council of Adult Education) and have most recently held executive roles with AustralianSuper, Wheeler Strobel Consulting Group and the Construction Industry Development Agency. I have experience in both corporate and not for profit sectors, with diverse board and committee governance roles and a track record of successful delivery of transformational change and start up activities, with twenty years' experience in industry reform, strategy development, culture turnarounds, organisation improvement and group effectiveness.
Penny Forrest
Development Victoria
Group Head, Housing
Penny Forrest is Group Head, Housing of Development Victoria. Penny is an experienced property development professional, with over 20 years’ experience in the industry, including over 12 years with listed residential property developer Peet Ltd, most recently as the State Manager for the ACT and NSW. A strong advocate for the property industry, Penny has been a member and Chair of the Property Council Australia’s Victorian Residential Developers Committee and a former member of the Surveyors Registration Board Victoria. Penny’s current focus is the development of surplus and underutilised government land to deliver and promote housing diversity.
Jannine Fraser
Directioneering
Managing Director, The Career Insight Group. Co-Founder of Directioneering. Member firm of Career Partners International
Career Partners International North America Board member 2020 - now
Directioneering group MD for the last 8 years, founder before that 10 years.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Past: Melbourne Boston Sister Cities Association - 6 years
Lyceum Club Member, last 10 years
Other Interests:
Liberty Victoria
Royal Melbourne Yacht Club
Mandy Frostick
Infrastructure Victoria
Executive Director Communications and Engagement
Mandy Frostick, Executive Director Communications and Engagement, Infrastructure Victoria
Mandy Frostick leads communications and engagement functions for Victoria’s independent infrastructure advisory body including strategic advice, stakeholder relations, community engagement, media and brand.
Mandy has extensive consulting experience across a broad range of industry sectors including health, energy, resources, finance, technology and government. She has also held senior leadership positions with some of Victoria’s best known organisations including WorkSafe, BHP, City of Melbourne and the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Mandy is a non-executive director of the Royal Women’s Hospital where she chairs the Board’s People, Culture and Engagement committee and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She was previously a guest lecturer and member of the RMIT Program Advisory Committee for the Bachelor of Communications.
Catherine Gale
Resolve Conflict Family Lawyers
Managing Director, Family Lawyer, Accredited Mediator, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner
Catherine is a senior experienced Family Lawyer who has been assisting clients to reach acceptable solutions in Family Law matters for nearly 40 years. Experience gained over many years reveals how difficult divorce and separation can be from emotional, financial and legal perspectives. Catherine is also a nationally accredited mediator and a government accredited family dispute resolution practitioner and is committed to guiding clients through the separation and divorce process in the most amicable way possible, while still achieving a legally binding outcome for them.
Catherine is the author of two books on Family Law, has lectured at Monash University in the Law School, and has trained lawyers extensively around Australia in Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
NMAS Accredited Mediator
FDRS Practitioner
2016-2020 - Former Member Board of the Neerim District Health Service (NDHS)
2006 - President of Law Institute of Victoria
2012 - President of Law Council of Australia
Past lecturer in Alternative Dispute Resolution Monash University
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Fellow of the AICD, Women on Boards, Victorian Women Lawyers, International Academy Collaborative Professionals- IACP, Victorian Association for Alternative Dispute Resolution-VADR, Law Institute Victoria, Law Council of Australia, Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club, Committee for Gippsland, Airedale Terrier Club of Victoria, Dogs Victoria Member, RACV Club.
Other Interests:
Dog Breeding
Chris Gallagher
Retired Strategy Consultant
Strategy Consultant
Chris Gallagher has held senior roles in State and local government, including Deputy Director of Major Projects Victoria, Director of City Strategy at the City of Melbourne and Ministerial Adviser to two State Government Planning Ministers. She also worked as a strategy consultant for many years.
She has been a director of the Australian Print Workshop, the Southern and Eastern Integrated Transport Authority, Monash Property Management, VicSport, the Melbourne Convention and Marketing Bureau and the John Cain Foundation. Government appointments have included a 6 year term as Chair of the Heritage Council of Victoria and membership of several advisory committees to the Minister for Planning.
Peter Galvin
Getting To Next Impact Investment and Advisory
Chair, Director, Investor and Advisor
Peter's experience encompasses roles as CEO, Board Advisor, Company Director, Chairman and Investor. Peter's Investment and Advisory business is spread across a number of industries and includes an Impact Investment business placing new technology to deliver essential services in remote communities internationally. He has overseen iconic projects in various parts of the world including the refurbishment of Westminster Abbey. Peter's current pro-bono work includes Board mentoring for Not for Profit organisations and executive coaching to people seeking to establish new businesses or further their corporate careers. Peter is a Teaching Fellow in entrepreneurship and innovation at the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship. He is a long-time competitive cyclist, skier and rugby fan.
James Garriock
Insync
Executive Director
In addition to directorships of companies in which he has a personal interest, James is President of Bicycle Network, Australia’s largest bike riding advocacy organisation with close to 50,000 members. Previously CEO at measurement and advisory firm Insync, James continues his executive role there leading the government and utilities practice. He is a graduate of the AICD and Williamson Community Leadership Program, and was formerly an Australian Volunteer Abroad in Solomon Islands.
Prior to Insync James was at KPMG. His interests are utilities, leadership, engagement and economics.
Michael Gawenda AM
A career that spans four decades with roles that included a political reporter, a foreign correspondent based in London and in Washington, a columnist, a feature writer, and a senior editor at Time Magazine. Michael was editor and editor-in-chief of The Age from 1997 to 2004. He has won numerous journalism awards, including three Walkley awards. He was the inaugural director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne, and is the author of four books.
Dennis Gentilin
Deloitte Touche Tomatsu
Director
Melbourne is central to Dennis's unique story.
He is the son of post World War II Italian migrants who moved to Australia seeking the better life and wanting the best for their children. After spending their formative years in a modest flat in Coburg, they moved to Donvale where the larger allotments provided ample space for the vegetable patch and fruit trees.
After attending the local high school, Dennis was admitted to Monash University, a prominent Melbourne institution. For Dennis, university was more about personal growth and discovery than academic achievement. Despite this he managed to complete a degree in banking and finance with honours.
After completing his degree, Dennis joined the National Australia Bank, one of Australia's major financial institutions headquartered in Melbourne. He completed a graduate program in the bank's financial markets division before securing a position as a trainee on the FX options trading desk.
Little did Dennis know that this role would provide an experience that would define him. Three years after joining the FX options trading desk, Dennis was publicly named as one of the whistlblowers in a trading scandal that rocked the National Australia Bank and resulted in the resignation of the then chairman and CEO.
Fortunately for Dennis, he went on to spend a further 12 years at the National Australia Bank. The incident ignited a strong interest in human and organisational behaviour and was the catalyst for Dennis authoring "The Origins of Ethical Failure", a book that won the textbook prize in the 2017 UK Chartered Management Institute Management Book of the Year Awards.
After publishing the book Dennis left the National Australia Bank. He spent three years working independently before joining Deloitte's Risk Advisory practice in Melbourne. He advises senior leaders across both the private and public sectors on issues relating to governance, risk, conduct and culture.
Dennis is married to Kate and the proud father of two teenage daughters, all of whom were born in Melbourne. He lives in Blackburn and, being the son of Italian migrants, supports the Carlton Football Club.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
B Bus (Hons) - Monash University
Grad Dip Psych - Monash University
Adjunct Fellow Macquarie University
Honorary Fellow Centre for Ethical Leadership
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Community member of the Clinical Ethics Committee at the Royal Children's Hospital
Paula Giles
Slater Street Equity
Director and Company advisor working at the intersection of strategy, customer experience, service design, culture and change. Curious about the world, creative enterprise and public policy.
Emeritus Prof Billie Giles-Corti
RMIT University
Director, Urban Futures Enabling Capabilities Platform
Professor Billie Giles-Corti is an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow and Director of the Urban Futures Enabling Capability Platform and Healthy Liveable Cities Group, Centre for Urban Research, at RMIT University. Previously she was a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Director of the McCaughey VicHealth Community Wellbeing Unit, Melbourne School of Population Health, the University of Melbourne. For over two decades, she and a multi-disciplinary research team have been studying the impact of the built environment on a range of health and wellbeing outcomes including walking, cycling, public transport use, sense of community, mental health, obesity and chronic disease. Billie currently leads an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Liveable Communities established in 2014; which works closely with local, national and global policy-makers and practitioners; is a co-investigator responsi
ble for the non-health sector on the NHMRC-funded Australian Prevention Partnership Centre; and leads the liveability theme for the National Environment and Science Program's Clean Air and Urban Landscape Hub. She is also a Chief Investigator on Brisbaneäó»s longitudinal HABITAT study of the individual, social and environmental determinants of physical activity in over 10,000 residents; and the London ENABLE project, a natural experiment study evaluating the impact of relocating low income residents into the London Olympic Athletes Village. She has published over 300 articles, book chapters and reports, and by citations, is ranked in the top 1% of researchers in her field globally. She is an Honorary Fellow of both the Planning Institute of Australia and the Public Health Association, a Fulbright Scholar and in 2016, was awarded an NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Fellowship as the top ranked female fellow in public health in 2015.
Dr Stewart Gill OAM
Queen's College
Master
Stewart Gill
MA (Hons) Edin, MA Tor, PhD Guelph, FRHistS, FQA, FISCAST, MAICD
Stewart Gill is Head of Queen’s College within the University of Melbourne. He is a graduate from the Universities of Edinburgh, Toronto and Guelph—the latter two on a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship. Prior to his current appointment was Warden of Ridley College and Dean of Trinity College at the University of Melbourne and Principal of Emmanuel College at The University of Queensland and an adjunct-Professor in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. While at UQ he founded the Emmanuel Centre for the Study of Science, Religion and Society. He has published articles and books in Australian, Canadian and Scottish History. Stewart is a past President of the Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand, the founding Chairman of the Pacific Asia Network of Canadian Studies. He is immediate past-President of the International Council for Canadian Studies. Stewart is an honorary-councillor of the Australian Institute for International Affairs in Victoria and was previously Vice-President in Queensland. While at Trinity College the Indigenous scholarship program was introduced which led to the extended degree program. At Emmanuel College he introduced a similar program and has been active for over 20 years in supporting the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In 2019 he was appointed as an Ambassador for The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
In 2016 he was awarded an OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his contribution to tertiary education and the wider community.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
OAM
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Advisory Council of The Global Foundation
Honorary-councillor AIIA (Victoria)
Councillor Melbourne Scots
Councillor of Society of St Andrew of Scotland (Qld)
Board of International Council of Canadian Studies (Ottawa)
Other Interests:
Scottish History
Canadian History
First Nations Issues
International Affairs
Jayne Godfrey
Analytics Institute of Australia
Company Director
Emeritus Professor Jayne Godfrey has high-level experience as a director, advisor and manager. These have been recognised by her receipt of the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society through business leadership, and her selection as a Telstra Businesswoman of the Year. Jayne has a strong and sustained record in roles with governance or management budget responsibilities ranging from $55m to $4bn. Her expertise in strategic organisational and financial reform has been applied in relation to corporate boards, educational organisations, professional member organisations and government reforms. She has led strategic change management initiatives that have resulted in significant cultural and multi-million dollar financial improvements, and she has been responsible for the line management of more than 450 staff at a time.
In providing leadership, management and consultancy services nationally and internationally, and within both private and public sectors, Jayne has frequently addressed international and national forums about her areas of expertise, including financial, water and sustainability reporting; auditing; financial management; business strategy; organisational culture; leadership and governance. She is currently a judge for the Telstra Best of Business Awards (Promoting Sustainability Category).
Jayne’s financial and natural resource reporting expertise has been acknowledged beyond her multiple terms on the Australian Accounting Standards Board and the (national) Water Accounting Standards Board: her strategic and technical advice have been sought by the US Securities Exchange Commission, the US Financial Accounting Standards Board, and other international financial and sustainability-related standard-setting bodies. She has also provided legal expert opinion on accounting matters, and served on Finance, Audit, and similar committees of Boards and Councils.
Jayne’s career spans company directorships such as Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation (TasCorp). It also includes governance and senior management roles such as Councillor of Monash University and Dean of Business and Economics at the Australian National University (ANU) and at the University of Auckland.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Centenary Medal for service to Australian society through business leadership
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Other Interests:
Reading; Theatre; Art; Sport - skiing, tennis, hockey, hiking; Travel
Dennis Goldner AM
Company Director
Bio Public policy and competition policy economist. Twenty years with Federal and State public sector agencies, then 30 years with Deloitte. Now in governance roles with NFP and government organisations, including as chair of several.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
AM
FAICD
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Oxfam Australia
Melbourne Chamber Orchestra
Castlemaine State Festival
Kilfinan Australia
She Matters
Other Interests:
Bushwalking, bridge, music, travel
Alan Goldstone OAM
Tisher Liner Fc Law
Lawyer
Alan graduated from Melbourne University with a Law Degree and was thereafter admitted to practice in 1975.
He joined Frank Tisher and Dennis Liner as a Partner of Tisher Liner & Co in 1979. Alan practices in the areas of Commercial Law, Liquor Licensing, Business and Property Law.
He was a founding member of the Law Institute of Victoria Liquor Committee in 1984 and was Chairman of that Committee for some years. Alan was also Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Property and Environmental Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria. In 2011, Alan received an award from the Law Institute of Victoria in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to the LIV and the legal profession".Alan has served on Law Institute Committees continuously since 1984
Alan's clients include a diverse group of commercial organisations from public companies to family run businesses. He acts as a sounding board for many of the Firm's clients with regard to commercial and legal matters. He has a hands on approach to his clients and work and is very client oriented.
Alan is also communally active , has been a member of the Bialik College Council since 1985 and served as President of the College President for 7 years.
For the last 12 years , Alan has also been a Co Chair of the Australian Council of Jewish Schools , the peak body of Jewish Schools in Australia.
in 2018 , Alan was awarded an OAM for his contribution to Jewish education & to the Law.
. Alan has a keen interest in all sports and is an avid golfer, walker ,scuba diver & traveler .
Colin Golvan AM KC
Barrister
Colin Golvan has been a King’s Counsel at the Victorian Bar since 2002. He appears as senior counsel in copyright, trade marks, designs and patent cases, as well as in competition and misleading conduct cases in the Federal and High Court of Australia, and in mediations and arbitrations.
He has served as chairperson of the board of trustees of the Victorian Bar Indigenous Barristers’ Fund, the Indigenous Lawyers Committee of the Victorian Bar and his Barristers’ clerking list (List G). He is also a former member of the Appeals Board of Football Federation Victoria.
Colin was the founding chairperson of Viscopy, the national visual arts collecting society, the Victorian Writers’ Centre and Writing Australia Ltd. He has also been the Chair of the Australian Book Review.He has been on the Boards of St. Martins Youth Theatre Centre, the Arts Law Centre of Australia, the Arts Centre Melbourne Foundation, the Malthouse Theatre and Chair of the Malthouse Foundation, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Museums Victoria (where he continues to serve as an Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Committee) and a member of the judging panel for the Contemporary Masters Music Award at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
In 2019, he was appointed as a Life Member of Museums Victoria.
He is currently the Chair of the Peninsula Summer Music Festival and a director of the Namatjira Legacy Trust.
He is a patron of Arts Centre Melbourne, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Australian National Academy of Music, the Australian String Quartet, Melbourne Recital Centre, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Australian Book Review, the Melbourne International Arts Festival and the Malthouse Theatre.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
In 2018, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Victorian Bar, Intellectual Property Society, Athenaeum Club and the RACV Club
Simone Goodwin
Melbourne Forum
Executive Officer
Simone Goodwin has built a dynamic and diverse career over 20 years working in Australia, London, and New York City. With a career spanning the arts and entertainment, management consulting and project management, Simone has experience in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.
Most recently Simone was the Commercial Manager for Grande Experiences, a global player in the immersive arts space and owner of THE LUME Melbourne. Prior to this she was Development Manager at musical theatre producer, The Production Company. Simone is skilled in business development, sponsorship, philanthropy, artist management, events, and marketing and communications.
Simone holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours degree from Monash University.
Michael Gorton AM
Russell Kennedy Lawyers
Principal
Michael Gorton is the Principal at Russell Kennedy Solicitors, Chairperson at Patient Review Panel (IVF legislation), President at the National Ageing Research Institute a Board Member of the Agency Management Committee at Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Vice-President at International Alliance of Law Firms and a Board Member at Melbourne Health. Michael has previously served as a Board member at the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission, Chair at VARTA and President at the United Nations Association of Australia.
Richard Gould
Panel Member
Career path through procurement, marketing and logistics to management then non-executive director on Boards. Along the way stopped off to be a Trade Commissioner then an academic.
A PhD across psychology and economics leaves him needing to say he's a Dr who knows nothing about medicine - but can be proficient with Bandaids.
Board memberships led him to government administrative tribunals, a couple of which he continue to sit part time.
Ian Gray AM
Judge Gray was a County Court Judge and State Coroner for Victoria, he commenced these roles in November 2012. His previous role was Chief Magistrate of Victoria.
Ian Gray completed his Bachelor of Laws at Monash University and was subsequently admitted to the High Court of Australia, and the Supreme Courts of Victoria and the Northern Territory.
Early in his career Judge Gray worked in private practice as a solicitor in a Community Legal Service, the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and as a Barrister specialising in criminal defence work.
From 1987 - 1990 Ian was the Principal Legal Advisor for the Northern Land Council in Darwin, then in 1990 he was appointed as a magistrate in the Northern Territory. In 1992 he was appointed as the Chief Magistrate of the Northern Territory.
In 1998 Ian returned to the Victorian Bar where he practised in criminal law, administrative law and employment law. In March 2001 Ian was appointed as the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria.
Industry experience
2012 Victorian State Coroner
2012 County Court Judge
2001 - 2012 Chief Magistrate, Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
1992 Appointed Chief Magistrate of the Northern Territory
1990 Appointed Magistrate, Northern Territory
1987 - 1990 Principal Legal Advisor, Northern Territory Land Council
1984 - Victorian Bar
Other associations
Adjunct Professor of Law, Victoria University
Tim Greenall
Madgwicks Lawyers
Special Counsel
Tim Greenall is Special Counsel in Workplace Relations at Madgwicks Lawyers and a Sessional Lecturer in Law & Ethics at Leo Cussen Institute and La Trobe University. He is a Board member at St Hilda's College a residential college at the University of Melbourne. Tim has served as the Chairman of the Workplace Relations section of the Law Institute of Victoria and regularly presents seminars to industry. Tim is a Fellow of The Williamson Community Leadership Group and has had a wide range of community involvements in the not-for-profit sector.
Carmel Guerra OAM
Centre for Multicultural Youth
Chief Executive Officer
Carmel Guerra is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Multicultural Youth, the first and largest organisation in Australia to work exclusively with migrant and refugee young people.
Carmel is recognized for her knowledge on multicultural youth issues and her commentary has been published in major newspapers and journals. She has served on numerous boards and committees and is Chairperson of the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) Australia, the national peak body representing multicultural youth issues.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Victorian Premier’s Award for Community Harmony Victorian Honour Roll of Women Centenary Medal
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
The John Byrne Memorial
Jack Haber
Haber Consulting
Managing Partner
An architect and senior development professional, with 25 years as a project leader in development strategy and execution. Passionate about sustainability, prefab and timber construction. Ardent musician. A progressive humanist. Leadership Victoria (2001) alumnus. Serrved 6 years on the Board of Melbourne Forum.
Melissa Hale
Disability Advocacy Resource Unit
DARU Manager
MF INAUGURAL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT
Melissa Hale is the Manager of Disability Advocacy Resource Unit auspiced by the Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) which resources and builds the capacity of the disability advocacy sector in Victoria. In addition to this, Melissa is an alumni of the 2021 Williamson Leadership Program with Leadership Victoria, a mentor for Paralympics Australia and the Head of Deaf Women’s Cricket with Deaf Cricket Australia and Cricket Australia. She is also a member of the Accessible Transport Advisory Committee with the Victorian Government Department of Transport, disability advisory committee of Disability Sports Recreation Victoria and Board Director of Expression Australia.
Melissa is a proud Deaf woman, married to James and together they have four young teenagers and an overgrown puppy, Jack. Sport is a huge part of Melissa's world, with her whole family kicking goals in their own sports. Melissa has a passion for creating opportunities for Deaf and hard of hearing people, and other people with disabilities, to lead in spaces where decisions are made that affect them.
John Hamill
Chronotope Consulting
Managing Director
John was born in Twizel New Zealand - a child of "Think Big" hydro dam projects of the 70s. His parents went to Dunedin where he grew up with a love of music and books. He studied literature and music at university before moving to Wellington and completing MA and PhD in English literature with a focus on the modern novel. In the late 90s John started a career with a developing interest in public sector performance and infrastructure moving through the education, justice and commerce sectors. The high point of his New Zealand career involved leading major reforms in the energy, airports, telecommunications and dairy sectors. He then moved to Melbourne to become CEO of the ESC Victoria, and after 7 years in that role is living the carefree life of a consultant providing strategic advice on regulation and regulator performance.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
PhD in English Literature
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Member of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic
Other Interests:
Classically trained musician (violinist and singer). Literature, theatre, movies and the arts.
The Hon George Hampel AM QC
George matriculated from Melbourne High school, completed his law degree at Melbourne University and was articled to a well-known criminal solicitor. From the beginning of his law studies George was committed to becoming a barrister.
He was admitted to the Victorian Bar on 1 April 1958 and read with the late Judge Harold Ogden QC. His practice in the early years was principally in criminal law. It extended from the Magistrates Courts to the Supreme Court. He was admitted to the bars of ACT, NSW, WA, TAS and UK.
In 1976, George was appointed Queen's Counsel and his practice extended to civil trial work and appeals.
George served on the Victorian Bar Council, became its vice-president and vice-president of the Law Council of Australia before being appointed a justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1983. During his 17 years on the Court, George sat in both trials and appeals. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.
He also served as Chairman of the Leo Cussen Institute, founding member of the Victorian Bar Readers Course, member of the Victorian Council of Legal Education, member of the Victorian Council of Adult Education, member of the Board of the Law Faculty of the Australian National University, Chairman of the Legal Practice Board of Victoria and Chairman of the Constitution Commission of Victoria.
As well as training professional advocates, George has taught advocacy subjects at the Universities of Melbourne, WA, Bond and ANU. He continues to teach advocacy as Adjunct Professor of the Monash University Law School.
His training experience of professional advocates extends internationally to USA, UK, Scotland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and the Hague.
For over 40 years, George developed advocacy teaching methods, case studies and the training of advocacy instructors in Australia and overseas.
George was the Founding Chairman of the Australian Advocacy Institute in 1991 and over the following 24 years continued to develop its teaching methodology and workshop programs. He is the principal author of the two editions of the Australian Advocacy Manual, which is now required reading for the Victorian Bar Readers Course and is used as a reference work in most common law jurisdictions.
George has developed workshops for training of members of other professions including forensic accountants, doctors, engineers and computer experts in their roles as expert witnesses.
He has also trained forensic investigators, such as the police, taxation and fraud investigators in their work in investigation, questioning and presenting of evidence.
As a result of his contribution in these areas, George was made a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia, received the Centenary of Federation Medal, and a Monash University Teaching Award.
George's interest in adult skills education evolved from his work as a ski instructor for 25 years.
He adapted the coaching methodology in which he was trained as a ski instructor to training in forensic skills.
The advocacy teaching methodology he developed is now used in all common law countries.
Anthea Hancocks
Scanlon Foundation
Chief Executive Officer
Anthea is an experienced senior executive with extensive experience across a wide range of sectors including professional services, banking, academia, not for profit and government. She is currently the CEO of the Scanlon Foundation and the Chair of YMCA Victoria and a Director of People and Parks Victoria
Prof Roz Hansen
Roz Hansen Consulting Pty Ltd
Managing Director
Professor Roz Hansen is an urban and regional planner with more than 30 years experience working both in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region. Roz is a member of various advisory committees and boards including the University of Melbourne Infrastructure Advisory Board,, Salvation Army Housing Victoria, Melbourne Social Equity Institute as well as chairperson of the Geelong Authority. Roz is a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Professor at Deakin University. Roz is also a recipient of an Australian Government Centenary Medal and a Divisional Councillor of the Property Council of Australia (Vic). Roz chaired the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Plan Melbourne and Plan Melbourne Refresh. The Planning Institute of Australia included Roz into its Hall of Fame in 2013 being the first female planner to be added.
The Hon David Harper AM
Retired Supreme Court Judge
Born Sydney Educated State primary schools, Melbourne Grammar School, The University of Melbourne BA (Hons) 1965 LLB 1967 solicitor Arthur Robinson & Co 1969-70 Victorian Bar 1970-92 Supreme Court of Victoria 1992-2013 Court of Appeal 2009-2013.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
AM 2008
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Accountability Round Table; National Integrity Committee; Centre for Public Integrity; Melbourne Cricket Club
Other Interests:
Current affairs; international affairs; history; the environment.
Dr Russell Harrison
Guide Dogs
GM Dog and Vision Services
Russell is dedicated to improving the lives of both people and animals, with a unique blend of expertise in veterinary medicine, disability services, and health care governance.
In addition to his role at Guide Dogs Victoria, Dr. Harrison serves as a Board Director at Seymour Health. His experience spans governance, operational leadership, and not-for-profit management.
Dr. Harrison's career journey reflects his deep-seated passion for service and his commitment to enhancing the quality of life for vulnerable individuals and animals alike.
Dr John Harte
Integrity Governance
Managing Partner
Leading a team of governance, board effectiveness and performance specialists. Working with boards, business owners, ministers, senior public servants, senior managers and executives on all aspects of board effectiveness. Delivering a range of establishment, assessment (e.g. boards of directors, individual directors, CEO's and chairmen) effectiveness, training, strategic planning and dispute resolution services to boards (deliberately avoiding recruitment due to the inherent conflicts of interest). Working in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America with clients ranging from SME's to multinationals.
Bruce Hartnett AM
Flâneur
Bruce Hartnett has previously had a variety of roles in the Community Sector, the Private Sector, Trade Unions and Government. Prior to taking up the role of a Flaneur he was the Chair of the Victorian Public Sector Commission, Chair of VicSuper, Deputy President of the RACV, the Chair of Odyssey, Victoria and President of the Council of the School for Student Leadership.
Jacquie Hayes
Madam Wheels
Founder
Having established a strong track record in communications and negotiations, and a comprehensive working knowledge of Australian luxury car markets, I launched Madam Wheels. After developing a diverse client base and service portfolio, the company held its official launch on International Women’s Day in March 2018.
Madam Wheels offers clients an opportunity to secure the vehicle that suits their lifestyle, professional requirements and style needs, without the hassle of lengthy dealership visits or drawn-out negotiations with patronising salesmen. Leveraging our knowledge of luxury vehicles, our proven negotiation and interpersonal skills, and our understanding of deal-making, Madam Wheels can put you in the driver’s seat of your dream car.
In addition, Madam Wheels works to reduce the mystery and macho associated with high-performance and luxury cars by organising regular ladies-only drive days and other events. Our exciting events allow women to experience the thrill of driving the car of their dreams in the company of other women who share their interests.
Karen Hayes AM DSJ
Non-Executive Director
Karen is recognized as a dynamic influencer in the Australian Not-for-Profit sector. Between November 2011 and June 2022 she was the CEO of the Victorian Division of Guide Dogs Australia and is now a well-respected non-executive director on a number of boards.
A past Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award finalist, Karen is currently a Board member of Multiple Sclerosis Ltd (8 years), The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (8 years) and is a past board member of Vision 2020 Australia, (5 years) Melbourne Football Cub (7 years) and Breast Cancer Network Australia (15 years) and the International Guide Dog Federation (2 years).
Karen was one of the founders of Breast Cancer Network Australia, and as the co-founder of the Australian chapter of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), she continues to play a leadership role for women across several industries and communities globally.
Under Karen’s leadership, Guide Dogs Victoria delivered a $30m capital campaign to transform GDV’s campus into Australia’s first sensory campus. The new facilities are aimed at improving the lives of people living with blindness or low vision, while also providing a world class environment for breeding and training guide dogs and educating the community.
Karen was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2017, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to business and the community and was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours List, for significant service to the community as an advocate for gender equity, and to women in sport. She was also inducted as a Dame in the Order of St John in June 2019, in recognition of her contribution to community.
Michael Henry AM
The Strategy Shop
Managing Director
Dr Michael Henry is Managing Director of the Strategy Shop, a management consultancy firm specialising in planning, strategy and governance. He is the former Chair of Oxfam Australia, Australian Frontier, and the Old Treasury Building Committee of Management, and former Board member of Film Victoria, the Education Foundation, and the Environment Council of Victoria. He was a founding Board member of Melbourne Forum.
Paul Higgins
Emergent Futures Pty Ltd
Futurist
Paul Higgins is a Futurist with Emergent Futures. He holds a First Class Honours Degree in Veterinary Science, a Bachelor of Animal Science (Diagnostic Research) and a Master’s degree in Strategic Foresight
Paul is a graduate of the Leadership Victoria Program, and a venture philanthropy partner at Social Ventures Partners Melbourne. Paul is also a committee member of the Churchill Club in Melbourne.
He works with a range of corporate, government and not for profit clients on how to think about the future.
Paul writes and presents regularly on future disruptions to business models and consults to a range of organisations on how to think about the future.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Committee Member, The Churchill Club
Venture philanthropy partner at Social Venture Partners Melbourne
Richard Hilton
EY
Director
Over 20 years of professional experience in finance, and over 10 years non-executive not for profit board experience, demonstrating versatility, integrity and accountability in working with a variety of clients across the energy, infrastructure, renewables, technology, retail, hospitality, sport and not for profit sectors:
- Sought after people leader, passionate about developing others;
- Proven ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships;
- Track record of getting teams to see out a variety of projects and transactions across a range of sectors.
Skilled in assurance, external audit, internal controls, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), transactions, equity and debt raisings, project and risk management, budgeting and forecasting, people leadership, and development and facilitation of learning.
Geoff Hindle
Retired
Born 1943, attended Canterbury State, Camberwell High, Scotch College, University of Melbourne, where I graduated as Bachelor of Commerce and MBA.
Married Judith in 1978, have three children Alex, Miranda and Hugh and five grandchildren. Lived at current address since 1980.
Career
The first half of my 45 year working life was in the corporate sector in financial analysis and financial management roles. My first job after graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Melbourne in 1964 was with Price Waterhouse. In 1969 I completed an MBA degree at Melbourne Business School. The most significant roles after MBA were with Comalco for five years, Jennings Group for four years and AFG Mortgage Insurance as manager for six years where I turned the business around from losses to good profitability. A promotion to a role in a related company did not work out and I sought a new direction.
The second half of my career was in the securities industry. I spent several years as a broking analyst, several years as an analyst/fund manager and finally 18 years as an advisor (stockbroker) to private clients, firstly with McIntosh/Merrill Lynch and then UBS as a director. I retired in 2008.
Memberships
Member of the Australian Club, Kooyong Tennis Club, Victorian Mountain Tramping Club and White Horse Canoe Club.
Member of St John’s of East Malvern and a former treasurer/director of its Foundation for 12 years, and a director of Anglican Development Fund.
Former director of Canoeing Victoria
Interests
Business, investments, politics, economics, economic history and sport.
Sally Hines
Leadership Victoria
CEO
Sally is an experienced leader from the social enterprise, not-for-profit and social service sectors, working at the forefront of cross-sectoral engagement to drive positive change. Prior to her current role as CEO Leadership Victoria she was Chief Operating Officer at The Big Issue and Homes for Homes, leading these social enterprises to diversify and create partnerships across business, philanthropy, government and the social sector to achieve innovative solutions addressing homelessness. Sally also has a depth of executive experience in the health, mental health and employment sectors, leading strategic decision-making and bringing together diverse teams, partnerships and stakeholders to support adaptation, sustainability and meaningful social and economic outcomes. She applies her purposeful leadership as a not-for-profit board member; currently Deputy Chair of Wallara and a non-executive director of Portsea Camp.
Jane Hodder
Freehills
Partner
Jane Hodder is a Partner of Herbert Smith Freehills, a co-chair of the Diversity at Freehills Australian initiative and a member of the Global Board of partners. Jane is also a member of the board of the Centre for Contemporary Photography in Melbourne and the chair of the Monash University Law School Foundation Board.
The Hon Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth
Supreme Court of Victoria
Judge
Elizabeth Hollingworth has been a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria since 2004, and has sat in civil and criminal trials and appeals. She is currently the principal judge in the criminal division.
She is a current or past member of various bodies, including the International Commission of Jurists, the Council of Legal Education, the Public Interest Law Clearing House, the Forensic Leave Panel and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
A Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, and an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford, she has taught judges, practitioners and students, in Australia and overseas, in a broad range of subjects, including advocacy, evidence, procedure and legal writing.
Dr Jane Homewood
Housing Australia
Regional Director
Jane's experience traverses all the Built Environment disciplines and her current position with ‘Housing Australia’ has a focus on tackling the Housing crisis. Jane's career has provided her with a comprehensive working knowledge of the governance of cities, social and affordable housing delivery, urban design and development, social policy, infrastructure and economic drivers of cities. Jane has held a number of senior executive positions in local and state government and the private sector. Her career in local, national and international positions has focused on city renewal and her PhD from the University of Melbourne traced the history of city governance in Melbourne and mapped important policy work and urban design frameworks that transformed the city from the 1980’s to the current day.
John Howie AM
Montsalvat Foundation
Deputy Chair
John Howie is a graduate of the Council of Legal Education Articled Clerks course at the RMIT and holds a Bachelor of Laws from Melbourne University. He retired as a solicitor on 30 June 2021.He is currently deputy chair of the Montsalvat Foundation.
John was formally the President of Film Victoria (2003-2011) and he chaired the board of Victoria Legal Aid (2001-2011). He was a member of the advisory board to La Trobe University Law School and a member of the Law Foundation of Victoria. He was also the Chair of the Sports Federation of Victoria (2002-2008), a board member of the Olympic Park Board of Management (1982-1990), a member of the Melbourne Olympic Park Trust (2001-2011), a member of the board of Vision 2020 Australia and a board member of the Cain Foundation. .
In 2015 John was made a member of the Order of Australia for “significant service to the community in Victoria, particularly through leadership of film, arts and sporting organisations, and to the law.”
John is a life member of the Australian Labor Party, swims in ocean races and enjoys opera and concerts at the Recital Centre. He is married to Dr Linsey Howie, and they have three children and five grandchildren.
Julie Hucker
KRISIS PROTECTION PTY LTD
Strategic Brand & Communications Projects Manager
At Krisis Flood Bags, l spearhead brand development and communications centred on government and corporate relations to fortify our market position in Preparedness Solutions for flood disaster content protection and mitigation. Our team has shaped a narrative that underscores the innovation and reliability of the unmatched protection, military-grade watertight products, fostering trust and engagement with key stakeholders centred on better preparedness and resilient building.
My role involves strategic planning and execution, leveraging over a decade of experience in marketing communications and stakeholder relations to drive brand awareness and growth. Through creative storytelling and targeted advocacy, we has established Krisis Flood Bags as a leader in our industry, ensuring dat our message resonates with both governmental bodies and private sector players.
Prof Andrea Hull AO
Non Executive Board Director
Chair, Melbourne Recital Centre
Professor Emeritus Andrea Hull AO is Chair of the Melbourne Recital Centre and former Chair of the ABC Advisory Council and of Melbourne Forum Ltd. She is a non executive director of the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, and The Melbourne Prize. She was Deputy Chair of the National Museum of Australia and of the Breast Cancer Network of Australia. Andrea is an Executive Coach with Foresight Global Coaching Partnership, and has a consultancy specialising in diagnostic and problem solving. Her previous executive role was CEO/Director of the Victorian College of the Arts.
Sue Hunt AM
Sue Hunt AM has been the Executive Director (CEO) of The Royal Childrenäó»s Hospital Foundation from July 2010 to March 2024. Prior to this Sue was Founding Chief Executive Officer of CarriageWorks, Sydney (2006-2010); Director of Performing Arts for the Sydney Opera House (2003-06); General Manager of the Queensland Theatre Company (1999-2003) and General Manager of the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (1995-99). Sue has also held a number of board memberships across a variety of arts and government organisations. She is an alumni of the Williamson Community Leadership Program, Leadership Victoria (1995) and the Harvard Club Fellowship Program.
Benita Husband
CEO
Benita is Chief Executive Officer with 20 years of experience working in professional services and the construction industry. Benita is recognised for her engaging leadership style, client focused outcomes, and guidance on aligning strategy with commercial success.
Penelope Hutchinson
Melbourne Health
Director Melbourne Health
My career has been a mix of public and private sector. I completed a degree in German and Music in London in 1979 and then joined a chartered accounting firm before coming to Australia in 1983. In Melbourne, I became a partner in a chartered accounting firm (BDO), leading the consulting division. In 2000, I became a deputy secretary in the Department of Premier and Cabinet in Victoria, mainly in the role of Director Arts Victoria, with responsibility for arts funding programs, the state’s cultural institutions (NGV, Arts Centre Melbourne etc) and many cultural infrastructure projects such as the Melbourne Recital Centre, MTC theatre and refurbishment of Hamer Hall. I served in that role for 13 years.
I have served on many boards and committees including the Council of Monash University, the Victorian College of the Arts and Ormond College as well as the boards of Tourism Victoria, Medibank Private and the Federal Airports Corporation.
Currently, I serve on the board of Melbourne Health and chair the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival. I recently concluded terms on the board of a project management company and the National Local Government Cultural Forum. I have chaired more audit committees than I care to remember.
Although I am a chartered accountant, my degree in German and music, the later music diploma and a Masters in Public Policy are an eclectic mix of qualifications. I am really a generalist with some specialist experience.
I have worked on many infrastructure projects that are about bespoke buildings for specific purposes, but which also need to work well for all the people that use them. I am regarded as a harmonising influence by people I have worked with, but I also like to get things done.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
2014 Victorian of the Year-Arts
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Chair Port Fairy Spring Music Festival
Chair OCC for 499 St Kilda Rd
Other Interests:
music, theatre, reading, exercise, the dog.
Carolyn Ingvarson OAM
Lighter Footprints
Founder and Former Convenor
Carolyn has always had an interest in environmental issues, and worked as a Biology teacher for 20 years, before moving into the Victorian public service and working on occupational health and safety and then freight transport, for another 20 years. She was a local government councillor in the early 1990s for Camberwell, prior to the amalgamation of Councils.
At 60, with the luxury of a superannuation, she retired and for the last 15 years has focused on writing and the vexed issue of climate change, founding Lighter Footprints in 2006. This nonpartisan action group has over 2500 supporters in the electorate of Kooyong, previously held by our Treasurer. She worked on the Monique Ryan campaign in the last election.
In 2003 she was awarded the Australian Freight Industry Personality of the Year. In 2016 she became Boroondara Citizen of the Year, and was the ACF Peter Rawlinson medal holder for 2020 - 2021. She is an Associate of Melbourne University MSSI ( Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute.) She has been a judge for many years with Banksia Sustainability Awards. She has addressed many Rotary groups in her area and is a member of ESRAG. She is married with two sons and seven grandchildren from 28 -14.
Dr Irene Irvine
I Ivine & Associates
Principal
An experienced company director and senior executive of long standing with experience of NFP, Government and the Public Sector. Key areas of expertise are mentoring, education and disability.
Alison Ivey
I love living in Melbourne, and have been here since 2006, shifting here from NZ in search of a new way of life. I made a great choice. Currently I am on the Merit Protection Board, the Board of Tenants Victoria and have served on the Board of NMIT. My background is in education, public policy and administration.
Nicholas Jackson
Jackson Advisory
Principal
Management consultant, non-executive director; Greek-Australian with a [fading] american accent
Dianne Jacobs
The Talent Advisors // The NED Advisors
Principal
Board Applications, NED and Executive Strategies. Coach-Mentor on Directorships and Leadership. Founder of The Talent Advisors / The NED Advisors and former partner at the investment bank Goldman Sachs JBWere and a member of its partnership committee and the inaugural diversity council. Her leadership experience, together with being a sounding board to CEOs and their direct reports, means she understands complex, networked organisations. She has been a long-time advocate for diversity initiatives and the value of diverse talent. Clients are from a range of ASX and SME companies, non-profit transitioning boards and c-suite executives seeking guidance or board appointments. Coaching or mentoring panels have included Melbourne Business School, AICD, Leadership Victoria and Governance Institute. Dianne was appointed to the board of Melbourne Forum at the 2019 AGM.
Website: www.thetalentadvisors.com
Mark Jankelson
Social Venture Partners Melbourne
Chair
Mark has had over 40 years of global experience in the people management business – 14 of these at CEO level in the management consulting industry, the balance with large multi-national corporations in a variety of senior human resources roles. Mark has served as an advisor to Boards and Chief Executives on the entire range of organisation and people-related issues.
Mark has always had a strong affinity with entrepreneurship having grown up and worked in his family’s business in South Africa in his early career as well as working in and for other family businesses.
He has a special interest in mentoring and coaching emerging leaders.
Currently he is engaged in a portfolio of activities including: running Boonderoo Company, a commercial walnut business with orchards in Central Victoria and Southern NSW with his wife, Hilary; Board Chair and Partner investor in Social Venture Partners Melbourne and Board Member of Social Venture Partners International; and running his own consulting, coaching and mentoring practice.
Mark has a B.Com (Accounting and Economics) from Rhodes University and an MBA from the University of the Witwatersrand Business School.
Kim Jelbart
James Michael (Kim) Jelbart
Graduated Bachelor of Commerce, The University of Melbourne, in 1959.
1959-1962 Sales representative, Data Control, Melbourne.
1962-1963 Trainee programmer, Control Data Corp Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA.
1964-1965 Sales representative, Data Control, Melbourne.
1966-1971 Managing Director, Data Centre Pty Ltd.
1971-1983 Managing Director, Adaps Ltd., one of Australia’s first publicly listed information technology companies.
1984-1993 Managing Director, CLSI (Australia) Pty Ltd.
1993-1994 Manager, Library Systems Division, GEAC (Australia) Pty Ltd.
1994-2004 Managing Director, ERA Systems Pty Ltd.
2004-2008 Non-executive director, RMIT Training Pty Ltd.
David Jones
I was President of LIV Victoria 1977/78 and am a Life Member. I was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1987.
Educated at Christian Brothers College Victoria Parade East Melbourne.
Graduated in law at University of Melbourne.
Partner in legal firm Ellison, Hewison and Whitehead [now Minter Ellison]. President Law Institute of Victoria.
Chairman Legal Aid Commission.
Chairman Australian Broadcasting Tribunal.
Judge County Court of Victoria.
As Judge, Chairman Accident Compensation Tribunal.
As Judge, President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
As retired Judge, Member of the Adult Parole Board.
As retired Judge, Deputy Chairman Legal Practitioner's Tribunal.
As retired Judge, Deputy President Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal.
As retired Judge, Special Investigations Monitor.
As retired Judge, conducted a review of Jumps Racing in Victoria.
As retired Judge, member of panel that reviewed Terrorism laws in Australia.
As retired judge, conducted a review of the role of volunteers in the CFA.
As retired Judge, Chaired a panel that reviewed Terrorism laws in Victoria.
As retired judge, conducted a review of the unlawful release of prisoners from prisons in Victoria.
As retired Judge, Member Law Reform Commission of Victoria.
Chairman AFL Tribunal.
Chairman AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal.
Simela Karasavidis
Virago Advisory
Principal
Simela is a Deputy Chair, Non Executive Director, Former Company Secretary and Committee Chair, Consultant and Lawyer with 30 years of executive and board level experience across the public, commercial and not for profit sectors both internationally and domestically with particular experience in the legal profession.
At board level some highlights include:
• Deputy Chair, Non Executive Director and Committee Member with Red Nose;
• Advisory Board Member, MatX;
• Non Executive Director of Breast Cancer Campaign (now Breast Cancer NOW - the UK’s largest breast cancer charity).
Simela also has experience as:
• President of the Christopher Wren Club in Australia;
• a Co-Founder of the Women Leaders in Infrastructure (WLII) in the UK; and
• as Vice-President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers in the UK.
In an executive capacity she currently advises infrastructure / construction clients. She was a founding Partner of Pinsent Masons (Australia), advising global clients on tendering for and / or delivering major projects, e.g. she advised on :
• a bid for Western Sydney Airport - Bulk Earthworks Package A;
• a bid for Sydney Metro Northwest PPP and Melbourne Metro Tunnels & Stations PPP;
• a bid for Melbourne Metro High Capacity Metro Trains PPP; and
• a bid for the secondary market acquisition of a 100% interest in Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison.
Prior to this she was a Partner with White & Case, in London where she played a key role in building the infrastructure / PPP practice into new and emerging geographies including the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. In this role she was also a member of a number of global committees and initiatives including the Global Diversity Steering Committee and the Global Women's Initiative.
Simela has also presented widely including presenting at Capitol Hill, Washington DC to the Congressional Committee for Transport and Infrastructure on “PPP/PFI: An Overview of the United Kingdom Experience and Trends for the Future”.
She has a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) (Majoring in Macro Economics) and a Bachelor and Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Merran Kelsall AO
Director RACV, Vic Super and TarraWarra Museum of Art, Deputy Chair Melbourne Water and Deputy President CPA Australia
Experienced independent director with expertise in finance, audit, risk, and compliance. Strong focus on corporate governance including financial and non-financial external reporting to include strategy and risk management and aligning performance management with strategy. Particular experience with organisations focused on outcomes including both member/stakeholder and public interest. Previously spent over 20 years in practice as a Chartered Accountant, including 10 years as a partner at BDO. Industry experience includes financial and professional services; insurance; superannuation; health; education; contract management, utilities and major infrastructure projects, including the water industry. Experienced executive coach and worked in various listed companies. Former appointments include Chairman & CEO Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) and Member International and NZ Auditing and Assurance Standards Boards.
Dr Hugh Kelso
Paediatrician
General paediatrician, Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health.
Also in private practice, Frankston.
Tutor in paediatric medicine, Monash University.
Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM QC
Author
Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM QC is a retired barrister, writer and activist. He was born and educated (Scotch College) in Melbourne and graduated LLM, LLB, BA from Melbourne University in 1971.
He thereafter lectured at Monash University law school, worked with Kirby J at the Australian Law Reform Commission in Sydney, and joined the Victorian Bar in 1981. He was junior counsel for the plaintiffs throughout the Mabo litigation (1982 – 1992); has acted for claimants in many native title and immigration matters in the Federal Court; has appeared in the High Court in significant constitutional, native title and refugee matters; and has written and lectured extensively on Indigenous rights.
He took silk in 1996 and retired from active practice in 2016.
During the 1980's he was a committee member, including Secretary, of the Victorian Council for Civil Liberties (now Liberty Victoria). During 2012-2014, he was President of COIN ("Commission of Inquiry Now"), a community group advocating for victims of child sexual abuse.
On 26 January 2012 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the law especially the development of Indigenous rights. In May 2012, Bryan graduated PhD from Monash University following publication of his thesis/book: Mabo in the Courts: Islander Tradition to Native Title: a Memoir.
He is married to June, a lawyer. They have three daughters and five grandchildren.
Jason Kimberley
Cool Australia
CEO
Cool Australia founder Jason Kimberley is an eco-warrior, globally renowned photographer, adventurer and founder of the online environmental resource, Cool Australia. Spurred into action after researching his 2005 expedition to Antarctica with pals Jason Veale and Peter Hillary, Kimberley vowed to protect our fragile ecosphere.
His first book, Australia Exposed (2003), was the result of a yearlong camping trip around Australia in 2000 with his wife Caroline. Antarctica, A Different Adventure (2007) describes his journey across the frozen wilderness.
Kimberley's love of travel and our environment was formed at an early age, after his family embarked on their first outback adventure. Since then he has traveled extensively throughout Australia and the globe subjecting himself to a number of demanding challenges including: climbing South America's highest peak Mt. Aconcagua (23,000ft), man-hauling sledges around the horseshoe valley in Antarctica, trekking Denali and a month long kayaking odyssey on Prince William Sound - both in Alaska.
After the success of the Cool Melbourne campaign, Kimberley took the initiative nationally with www.coolaustralia.org. Cool Australia is a leading educational resource engaging more than 180,000 students in 2013. It explores the challenges we face, the solutions at hand and how we can all become a part of this solution building a cleaner, smarter and sustainable country.
Voted best by News Ltd the website enables students to take an active role in caring for our environment and features age-specific learning activities that teachers can download and take directly to the classroom. Kimberley was awarded Environmental educator of the year in 2012.
Kimberley is determined to make environmental responsibility a reality. äóìWe must plan a future that can be embraced, not feared,äó he says. äóìAnd to involve all Australian's in shaping our future.äó
Dr Jackie King
University of Melbourne
Director, Accreditation and Strategic Projects
Jackie is currently engaged as Director, Accreditation and Joint Strategic Projects, where she leads an integrated team in the accreditation, impact, continuous improvement, risk, data governance and quality assurance functions at the Faculty of Business and Economics and Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne. She most recently led the School to successful international reaccreditation with EQUIS and AACSB and has led the SDG, ESG and UN Principles of Responsible Management Education function for the school.
Awards: -
- Best Inaugural SIP Award, PRME (2022);
- Victorian Women's Honor Roll (Nominee, 2017)
- Australian Centre for Leadership for Women: Sustaining Women's Empowerment in Communities and Organisations Award (Finalist, 2015);
- Cranlana Colloquium, Wisdom in Executive Leadership (Scholarship, 2015)
- Leadership Victoria, Ignite Leadership Victoria Program (Scholarship 2014)
- Women and Leadership Australia, Australian Womens' Leadership Symposium (Scholarship 2014)
- Vice Chair, Australia New Zealand Regional Chapter, PRME Mission, - Strategy Service Advisory Board Member, Good Shepherd ANZ Pathways Melbourne, Governance and Policy Sub Committee Chair.
Tribunal member, Hawthorn Division Basketball Victoria, Rare Birds Mentor.
Dr Judith Kinnear
Author
My professional career has been in university settings, both in Australia and overseas. My roles have involved teaching, research and research training, and senior management and administration.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Award of an Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University, awarded by Swinburne University of Technology.
University of Melbourne Baldwin Spencer Prize in Zoology
University of Melbourne Margaret Catto Scholarship in Zoology
USA Learning 1984 Software Award
Classroom Computer Learning 1985 Software of the Year Award
Distinguished Academic Software Award from EDUCOM National Centre for Research to Improve Post secondary Teaching and Learning (NCRIPTAL)
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Fellow, Linnean Society, London
Fellow, Royal Biology Society
Lyceum Club Melbourne
University House, University of Melbourne
Life member, Graduate Union, University of Melbourne
Life member, National Trust of Australia
Balwyn Community Centre
Wildlife Rescue and Protection, Gippsland, Victoria
Opera Australia Patron
Australian Ballet Patron
Life member, Friends of the Zoos, Victoria
Other Interests:
Sporting including memberships of:
Melbourne Cricket Club
Victoria Racing Club
Moonee Valley Racing Club
Other interests include:
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra subscriber
Antiquarian Books
Australian flora and fauna
Supporter of animal welfare organisations, including Lort Smith and RSPCA
Janine Kirk AO
Non Executive Director
Director
Janine is current a Non Executive Director.
In her executive life she was the Founding Chief Executive of The Prince's Trust Australia from Jan 2013 to Jan 2019. The Trust represented the charitable endeavours of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in Australia. Prior to her appointment, Janine was a Partner at Ernst & Young (EY) for six years where she was responsible for establishing and leading the Victorian Government & Public Sector practice for the firm. She was also Oceania Leader Community; and a Director of the EY Foundation.
Janine joined EY in March 2007 after 12 years as the Chief Executive of the Committee for Melbourne
Currently Janine is Chair, Phoenix Australia; Chair, Chair HousingFirst , Chair The Melbourne Prize Trust; Chair, Kukukuku PNG Tribe Advisory Council; she is also an Ambassador for The Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Teach for Australia and The Australian Community Foundation, and a Founding Member of the Berry Street Childhood Alliance.
Previous leadership positions held include: Director, Australian International Military Games (Invictus Games Sydney 2018); Founding Chair, Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute Leadership Advisory Board; Chair, Tourism Victoria; Chair, Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau; Founding Director, The Melbourne Forum; Founding Director, Victorian Endowment for Science Knowledge & Innovation; Director and President Berry Street Victoria; Founding Director of The Conversation and The Conversation Media Group and a Director of The Cranlana Ethical Leadership Programme.
In 2021 in the Queen's Honour's an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for her contribution to the NFP sector.
In 2016 Janine was awarded a Deakin University Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Fellows Award for her contribution to business; education and the community. She was Awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for her contribution to Melbourne and Child Welfare. She received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Monash University in 2007 and was appointed a Monash Vice Chancellor Professorial Fellow in 2012-2015. She is a recipient of The Centenary Medal and is a British Chevening Scholarship winner; a VESKI Fellow and has been awarded Life Membership of Berry Street Victoria; the Committee for Melbourne and The BioMelbourne Network in recognition of her contribution to those organisations. In 2019 she was inducted into the Tintern Grammar Avenue of Excellence.
Suzanne Knight
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Program Director, Liveability Victoria International
I'm a Victorian public servant with a keen interest in environment, sustainable development, liveability and engagement with Asia.
Scott Ko
Leadership Victoria
Acting CEO
By way of a quick intro, I’m an alum of LV’s Start Leading program in 2019. My professional background is… shall we say pivot-y. My career to date has spanned everything from management consulting in the Victorian Public Sector, launching a financial literacy app aimed at students, and founding a social enterprise in the arts. Connecting these disparate dots is a strong passion for social impact, human-centred leadership, and systems thinking.
What energises me more than anything is working with different people with a diverse spectrum of experiences to tackle complex challenges. Whilst that might sound exciting as a sentiment, I’m also mindful that in practice, genuine collaboration can be tough. That’s why I believe in the important work that we do at Leadership Victoria; to foster and empower purposeful leadership for the community.
Alla Kolganova
AMRF, Investment committee
NED, Investment committee
Alla is a senior investment executive with more than 25 years experience in global financial markets. Until August 2021, she was a Principal (a board-elected senior leader) at Vanguard, one of the world’s largest and most respected investment management companies. Alla has a strong interest in sustainable investing and has been implementing ESG and climate-focused investments since the mid-2000s. Throughout her career, Alla has been a passionate advocate and driver of diversity and gender equity in the investment industry and helped to develop and progress the careers of many women in investments.
Alla is currently focused on developing a non-executive director and independent committee member career. Her previous appointments included the FTSE Russell Policy Advisory Board, the FTSE Russell Asia Regional Equity Advisory Committee, and the Information committee of APREA. She served as a board member and an investment committee member of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. She currently serves on the investment committee of the Austin Medical Research Foundation.
Alla holds a PhD (Mathematics), Master of Science (Cybernetics) and a Master in Applied Positive Psychology. She is a CFA Charterholder and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). Alla is an alumnus of Leadership Victoria’s Williamson Community Leadership Program.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Australia Institute of Company Directors
Leadership Victoria
CFA Institute
GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals)
Women in ETFs
Women in Banking and Finance
International Positive Psychology Association
Other Interests:
Mentor, passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, art appreciator, voracious reader, recreational hiker and biker, traveller, parent
Chris Kotur AM
Chris Kotur Consulting
Principal
Christine Kotur AM is a specialist in strategy, governance, leadership development, evaluations and reviews. She is a highly regarded facilitator and strategic advisor to boards, executives and for organisations involved in leadership development. Chris has worked on strategy with three Royal Commissions and with several major inquiries. Chris is the Inaugural Leader In Residence at Leadership Victoria and is an Associate of the Global Leadership Foundation.
Maria Koutsimpiris
ACCIONA | ANCAP Safety
Project Controls Manager | NED
Maria has had over 20 years’ experience in complex, capital-intensive multinationals, leading large cross-functional teams on multi-year, billion-dollar projects and large scale business restructuring and transformation. In the last few years she successfully transitioned to Infrastructure Construction. She is currently the Project Controls Manager (Finance, Commercial and Cost Control Project Lead) on the Level Crossing Removal Authority Southern Project Alliance for ACCIONA and prior to that had a successful executive career in automotive with General Motors both in Australia and Internationally. She has excelled in strategic roles where the breadth spanned many cultures, with a career highlight being living and working in Singapore with General Motors, leading Regional Portfolio Planning for Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Maria is passionate about STEM and increasing the attractiveness, retention and professional growth for women in these sectors. She is an advocate for improving diversity at all levels, removing unconscious bias and fostering inclusive leadership. She has an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and BEng(Mech) Hons/ BSc(Mathematics) from the University of Melbourne. She is an EngExec and Fellow with Engineers Australia and is Chartered in Leadership & Management and Project Management. She is a Non-Executive Director with ANCAP Safety. Chair of the National Committee for Women in Engineering and an Advisory Board Member of Power of Engineering.
John Kuot
Victorian Government
Senior adviser to the Minister for Environment
I am a global citizen with African origins. I am a trained economist with nearly 15 years of professional experience across banking, consulting and government. I have previously founded a start-up and established a youth-led non-profit charity that supported over 1000 youths across the African community. I am a 2021 Fulbright scholar and a 2022 Columbia University graduate. I am currently a senior adviser to the Minister for Environment and leads all things sustainability, circular economy and biodiversity. I am passionate about sports and particularly love basketball and football. I recently got into golf, but I am not good enough to claim it as one of my top sports.
Petr Kuzmin
AI data industry expert | Ethical AI startup founder | Leader | Anti-war campaigner
I am an experienced people leader and operations manager with deep expertise in AI and ML training data collections. Over a 14-year career at Appen, an ASX-listed global provider of language technology services, I managed and oversaw the delivery of hundreds of diverse projects around the world for some of the biggest commercial and government technology clients in the world, including Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, Panasonic, Ford, DARPA, IARPA, UK Home Office and many others. I also had a rare opportunity of being involved in the massive growth of Appen from a family-owned business to an ASX-listed multi-national company worth several billion dollars. I participated in the integration of several acquired companies, multiple company restructures and the development and adoption of several technology platforms.
On a personal level, my life has been shaped by growing up in Russia during the final years and the breakup of the USSR and the turbulent years of emerging democracy. I went to the US to continue my education there, first as a high school senior in 1995 and then in 1999 to pursue an in-depth study of literature and critical theory. I met my future wife at the graduate school in St. Louis and relocated to Australia in late 2006. I started working at Appen in May 2007 and rapidly progressed from a part-time project coordinator to Director of Project Management and later Director of Data Collection. In 2015, I completed as Executive MBA degree with Distinction at AGSM.
From an early age I had to be self-reliant, resourceful and adaptive to succeed in a variety of diverse cultural environments. My ability to make complex judgments and decisions allowed me to navigate through economic hardships, win scholarships in order to receive a good education in Russia and the US, support my family in Russia while studying and make a successful transition from an academic to a business professional.
I see myself as a balanced individual for whom a professional career is one element of a complex identity. Being a good father to my two daughters, pursuing my interests in literature, film, music and art, supporting Russian opposition against Putin's regime and playing soccer with a local club team are equally important to me.
I am an active community organiser, promoting human rights and political freedoms in Russia, an anti-war campaigner and the founder of Aussie Supporteroos (international football friendlies for fans: aussiesupporteroos.org).
Peter Lamell
Citywide Services & Renew Australia
NED
Peter has worked in senior executive roles in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Asia and Australia. He worked for Shell for over 25 years and was a Board member of Shell Australia. His work experience has primarily been in sales, marketing, strategy, M&A, sustainability and digital transformation. In the last few years, he has specialised in being CEO for a number of business turnarounds and has been an executive and Board member of a range of companies in the Energy, Power, Resources, Services, Telecommunications, Technology, Arts and NFP sectors.
He is currently a Board Member of Citywide Service Solutions and Pitt & Sherry, Director of the National Trust Australia (Victoria) and Chairman of Renew Australia. He was President of Lorne Sculpture Biennale for the 2011, 2014 and 2016 events. He is a senior advisor to Partners in Performance and to the Stephenson Mansell Group.
His interests include aboriginal art, climate change, travelling, reading, tennis, skiing and 1960s/1970s psychedelic and progressive rock.
Michael Landy
Eagle Financial Solutions
Director
Started in 1972 in the Financial Markets and still to this time remain in dealing with problem solving in the same arena as well as underwriting the cash requirements necessary to solve the problems to achieve solutions for the benefit of all the parties either as equity or as debt or both.
My goal is to assist people in achieving their goals in guiding them through the financial maze with great success.
Experience:
Brand Services Australia
Managing Shareholder and Owner December 2019 - Present
Melbourne Australia
Logistics, Transportation, Supply Chain, Branding, Storage.
Eagle Financial Solutions Pty Ltd
Partner
March 1996 - Present
Melbourne, Australia
Debt restructuring and Debt Management Services
Corporate Advisory
Mergers & Acquisitions
Strategic and operational management matters Debt advisory
Company and Individual Reconstruction
Morlend Finance Corporation (Vic) Pty Ltd
Partner
1972 - Present
Melbourne, Australia
Equity and debt underwriting
Provides debt funding and equity for company restructuring
Due Diligence
Contract Negotiation
Latitude China Holdings Limited
Director
June 2015 - 2021
China
An indoor super park which you can bounce, climb and fly for everyone and every age.
A global business with successful results from the trampoline parks developed in Australia, Latitude has expanded its business by entering into the China market.
Entertainment centres have now been established successfully throughout China, with some of the sites being developed in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Changsha and more.
http://www.latitudechina.com.cn/
Latitude Australia Holdings Pty Ltd
Director
May 2015 - 2021
Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth, Australia
An entertainment centre where you can defy gravity, forget the everyday and become an aerial superstar.
Latitude is the first integrated trampoline and climbing park in Australia with operations expanding Australia wide as well as internationally.
www.latitudemelbourne.com
Kidz @ Play
Director
2000 - 2012 (12 years)
Melbourne, Australia and United States of America
Reconstruction of LEGO figurines business which was sold to Funtastic Limited.
Education
RMIT University
Vanessa Lane
Vanessa’s career in the public and private health care sector has spanned more than 20 years with the last 10 years dedicated to clinical quality, safety and risk. She commenced her career in nursing and subsequently undertook further studies in Critical Care Nursing and Business Administration. Her passion to gain a greater understanding of quality and safety systems led her to undertake a Master of Engineering in Quality with the School of Aerospace. Vanessa’s desire to share this passion through training required her to complete a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
For the last ten years Vanessa’s focus has been on clinical incident identification processes, investigation methodologies and clinical governance systems and structures. Her role has included assisting public health organisations to utilise the most appropriate methodology to effectively engage clinicians in undertaking meaningful reviews, so that the learnings can be implemented.
Adeline Lane
Jackson Lane Legal
Principal
Born and raised in Adelaide, Adeline graduated from Adelaide University in the midst of the 90s recession with a passion to pursue a career as an environmental and planning lawyer. Alas, while sluggish economies may suit insolvency lawyers, they are barren ground for those who facilitate commerce, industry and property development. Adeline fled to Brisbane and found a thriving SEQ a great base for her work interests. Settling in Melbourne now two decades ago, Adeline has continued to focus on her first legal 'loves', representing a range of both government and private clients over several more economic cycles at both large firms and, more recently, in a boutique practice she established shortly before the Covid-19 disruptions of the last few years. Along the way, Adeline has been lucky to have a family and she takes great pride and joy in nurturing her two teenage children on their path through education to adulthood.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Law Institute of Victoria service award
Best Lawyers recommended for Planning and Environment Law
Doyle's Guide recommended for Planning and Environment Law
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Law Institute of Victoria
Past Chair, LIV, Local Government and Planning Committee
Planning Institute of Victoria
Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association
Other Interests:
Conservation architecture, Aboriginal heritage conservation, affordable housing, liquor and gaming regulation
Paul Latimer
Swinburne Law School
Adjunct Professor
Paul joined Swinburne Law School after many years as an academic lawyer teaching, researching and publishing in the areas of business law and financial regulation at Monash Business School. He is the author of Australian Business Law (about 1200 pages), which has gone through 35 annual editions. He continues in research and publication, is also now a volunteer lawyer at Fitzroy Legal Service, a member of the Football Federation Tribunal, and has been a volunteer migration agent at Refugee Legal. He joined Melbourne Forum in 2017.
Sally Leake
Non-executive director
Sally Leake FGIA GAICD is an experienced Company Director and Chair. She has brought multi-sector experience and a strategic perspective to government, private and not-for-profit boards in the health, education, sport and community services sectors for many years. Sally's board contribution is enhanced by twenty years in leadership roles across sectors - at the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Government House in Canberra, emergency services, higher education and the private sector, with early career experience in health administration.
Sally is presently a non-executive director with Rowing Australia, an Honorary Aide to the Governor of Victoria, an event moderator and a Minerva Network mentor.
Sally holds qualifications in business, management and governance. She was a Victorian Finalist in the Telstra Business Women's Awards in 2019 and was awarded a Centenary Medal by the Australian Government in 2001.
Eric Lee
Australian Accounting Standards Board
Research Principal (Head of Research)
I have 20 years of experience in academia (accounting), standards-setting (policy-making) and consulting. I am currently the Research Principal (Head of Research) at the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB), overseeing and leading the research program, including engaging with domestic and international stakeholders.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Member of CPA Australia
Member of CA ANZ (Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand)
Nichola Lefroy
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Development Lead
A community cultivator from way back, my career summary includes:
- over 15 years in Development, including corporate, Trusts and Foundations and individual donor cultivation and stewardship, grant cycle management and the creation of impactful philanthropy through private giving.
- Governance experience across a range of educational and philanthropic organisations.
- Management of IT projects for the Shell Group of Companies in Australia and the UK.
- Home educator for one of my sons for 6 years, inspiring and leading a team of volunteers and consulting with a range of specialists to achieve outstanding outcomes for my son.
- Long record of establishing strong relationships, debating constructively, communications with integrity and honesty and breaking down boundaries.
Crystal Legacy
University of Melbourne
Associate Professor, Urban Planning
Dr Crystal Legacy is an Associate Professor in Urban Planning at the University of Melbourne and a former Australian Research Council DECRA recipient (2014-2017). Crystal has published widely on the topics of transport politics, urban conflict, citizen participation, strategic plan-making, urban governance and infrastructure planning and has acted as a Guest Editor on several journal special issues including most recently for Urban Policy and Research ("Critical Urban Infrastructure" with A/Prof Wendy Steele). She is also on the editorial board for the journals Planning Theory and Practice (Comments and Reviews Editor) and Urban Policy and Research (Reviews Editor).
Her current research interests include urban transport politics where she is currently working on a substantial body of work that seeks to reframe the role of citizens in transport planning in the 'urban age'. Her interest in contemporary models of urban governance and transportation planning also extends to the area of autonomous vehicles where she is working with a team of researchers on the relationships between transport innovation, urban governance and strategic planning. Crystal also has a keen interest in planning theory with a particular interest in communicative planning, agonism, post-foundational readings of urban politics and deliberative democracy.
Mark Leibler AC
Arnold Bloch Leibler
Senior Partner
Senior Partner of Arnold Bloch Leiber, a pre-eminent Australian tax lawyer and corporate strategist, with a strong commitment to social justice and reconciliation.
Anne-Marie Leslie
Colac Area Health
Non Executive Director
Masters Human Resources Rutgers University New Jersey USA
GAICD (Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors) and FAHRI (Fellow Australian Human Resources Institute)
NED at Colac Area Health and Victorian Healthcare Association and Chair/ Advisor CEO Employment Matters Committee at Surf Coast Shire and City of Boroondara. Over 20 years’ experience leading efforts for innovation and technological change in the Health sector. Her Executive roles included experience in Asia and the US with Kodak, Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceuticals and biotechnology and Cochlear medical devices.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Melbourne Women's Fund
Member Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee
Member Women on Boards
Mentor CivVic Labs- start up accelerator program
Other Interests:
Advisor start up companies
Peter Lewinsky AM
Non Executive Director
Peter Lewinsky is an experienced Board Director and Chairman. His Board experience spans over 25 years and includes Government organisations and private and ASX listed companies.
For the last 28 years he has conducted an advisory practice providing strategic, financial and governance advice and is an experienced government, not-for-profit and private sector company director. He has also been a member of and chaired a number of Audit Committees of private and government sector organisations.
Prior to commencing his practice in 1991, Peter, who holds a Master of Business Administration, and a qualified Chartered Accountant, worked for investment banks and stockbroking firms in Australia and overseas.
In private practice Peter has advised Victorian, South Australian, Tasmanian and ACT governments and the Federal government on a range of governance, financial management, commercialisation, and industry reform issues.
He is currently Chair of the Risk & Audit Committee of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning; and a former member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Department of Health and Human Services, Chair of the Departments of Justice & Regulation and Human Services and Dep Chair of the ACT Chief Ministers Directorate.
Peter has undertaken a range of significant governance assignments for Government including his appointment as Chair of Administrators of Brimbank City Council for a three year period from November 2009, and a further year under a new Chair to January 2014.
Peter is currently a member of public and not for profit boards (including key board sub-committees).
• Chair of the Board of Holmesglen Institute,
• Board member of The Tasmanian Water & Sewerage Authority,
• Board member of Ambulance Victoria,
• Board member of Carbon Revolution Limited
• Chair of TASL Limited, a trustee of a large superannuation fund, and
• The Emmy Monash Home for the Aged.
In all of these Board positions Peter is Chair of or a member of Audit Committees, and holds various other Board governance roles.
Weston Lewis
KPMG
Senior Manager - Climate and Sustainability
Weston is an international sustainability practitioner, global thinker, and innovator. With expertise in decarbonisation, buildings, and ESG, he has consulted on a range of commercial, institutional, healthcare, educational, and residential projects furthering his in-depth knowledge and commercial context for delivering better buildings, businesses, and communities.
Outside of his consulting activities, Weston has been invited to share his knowledge and expertise as a lecturer at Swinburne University and the University of Melbourne. Weston has a passion for regenerative design principles which he brings to industry through his projects, member of the Melbourne Regenerative Design Forum Steering Committee and board director of the Melbourne Forum. He also enjoys sports, cooking, and getting outside as much as possible.
Dr Michael Liffman AM
Non Executive Director
Adjunct Associate Professor and Founding Director
Jacob Lindsay
Senversa
Head of Technology & Innovation
I am an experienced technology executive with a strong focus on driving innovation and digital transformation within organisations, dedicated to achieving strategic growth. I have a passion for fostering a team environment that is both collaborative and trustworthy, and I am skilled at translating long-term strategies into actionable steps that enhance business processes and add value.
I lead Senversa's Digital Strategy, Digital Services team and manage IT Operations, I also sit as a Non-Executive Director at Code for Australia.
Having founded an organisation with $2-3m in recurring revenue when I was 25, I bring more than ten years of experience in technology leadership, specialising in the commercialization of intellectual property, developing digital products, and, more recently, using AI to improve operational efficiency and generate new revenue.
Annette Lowe
Jungian analyst
Qualifications
Dip.Anal.Psych (Zurich) 1993
M.A. Dip. Ed.
B.A., B.App.Sci. (Comm.Dis.)
Experience
Annette Lowe is a Jungian analyst with twenty-six years’ experience in private practice,
in St. Kilda. Her training was at the Jung Institute in Zurich, which Jung himself
founded.
She is a past president of the C.G. Jung Society of Melbourne, for which she has given
many lectures and workshops. She has also given many introductory courses in Jungian
psychology.
Before her training, Annette worked for several years as a teacher of English as a Second
Language and as a speech pathologist. Her work history is interspersed with travel, mostly in Europe and Asia.
Prof Helmut Lueckenhausen
Torrens University Australia
Pro Vice Chancellor Academic
Prof Emeritus Helmut Lueckenhausen is Pro Vice Chancellor Academic at Torrens University and Deputy Director Academic Think Education. He leads the academic team within the Office of the Vice Chancellor covering the Centre for Learning, Teaching & Scholarship, Learning Services and chairs the Retention Project, the Executive Learning and Teaching Committee and the Academic Policy and Appeals Committees of the Academic Board.
Helmut has many years’ experience in the academic aspects of design, from a lecturer in 3D Design to Dean, Faculty of Design at Swinburne University of Technology. Helmut led the Faculty (previously the National School of Design) into becoming a significant international force in the field of design, including increasing onshore international student numbers eightfold as well setting up programs in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. Successful programs were similarly set up with Billy Blue in Sydney. Helmut led the establishment of the National Institute for Design Research, and the development of new policies and programs for design practice-led research and re-introduced the Swinburne School of Film and Television. Most recently, Helmut was Pro Vice-Chancellor Internationalisation at Swinburne, providing senior academic leadership and advocacy including curriculum developments, staff capability, graduate attributes, and the research endeavour. Previous to this role, Helmut was Pro Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak.
Helmut is a leading exponent in the field of studio furniture and design for wood, having maintained a regular national and international lecture program, including forum, conference and workshop presentations. His work is in the collections of the Australian National Gallery and state collections throughout Australia. He was honoured with a survey exhibition of his life’s work 11 April – 11 June 2015 by the Art Gallery of Warrnambool.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Awarded the title of ‘Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak Johan Bintang Kenyalang (JBK (H)), by Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddin, the Head of State of Sarawak, on the occasion of the latter’s 89th birthday on 16 October, 2010 for services to education.
Other Interests:
Apart from continuing exhibition profile: Creative Industries, Arts, History
Jed Macartney OAM
Jed most recently moved to develop a portfolio of non-executive director interests after a successful career in the not for profit, corporate and government sectors. He is currently the Deputy Chair of Leadership Victoria and Chair of the Leadership Victoria Foundation and holds several private directorships.
His roles in the NFP sector were as the CEO of Independent Disability Services and the General Manager Corporate Services at Able Australia.
Before entering the NFP sector, Jed held a number of positions in the rail sector including: General Manager Central and Eastern Regions for Gemco Rail and General Manager Engineering at Freight Australia.
He was the Joint Managing Director of Avteq, a rail manufacturing and maintenance company that manufactured 12 VL class locomotives.
Before the rail industry, Jed’s experience was in civil aviation where he consulted to Regional Express (REX) on regulatory compliance. This followed five years at the Ansett group where he held a variety of senior engineering management roles.
Jed started his career in the RAAF as a technician. His final role was as the Senior Engineering Officer C130 fleet. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1997 for his services to RAAF Transport Aircraft engineering and logistics.
His current community involvement is as a Member of the Queen Victoria Market Committee of Trustees, President of the Essendon Canoe Club and a volunteer broadcaster at community radio station 3RRR. He is a Past Chair of the YMCA Bridge Project Community Council and a past President of the Melbourne Rugby Union Football Club.
James Macneil
WSP Australia Pty Limited
Major Project Executive
James Macneil is an experienced corporate executive and project director with over 20-years construction sector experience in Australia and overseas. He was a director of Melbourne Forum from 2014 to 2020.
Dr Rod Macneil
Museums Victoria
Chief of Staff
Dr Rod Macneil is Chief of Staff for Museums Victoria with responsibility for corporate relations, governance and strategic leadership. Over two decades working in both Australia and the United States, he has delivered transformative, whole-of-organisation projects in areas including audience development, brand management and planning and governance.
Rod completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne and is an alumnus of Leadership Victoria’s Folio Community Leadership Program. He has held a number of board roles and is currently a board member for Chamber Made, one of Australia’s leading experimental performance groups.
Rachna Madaan Bowman
South East Community Links
Senior Practitioner, Financial Wellbeing Program
2024 FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT. Rachna is from South East Community Links, where she is also a Director. She holds a Masters in Business and Diploma in Community Services (Financial Counselling). She is the Senior Practitioner in SECL’s Financial Wellbeing Program following a career in retail banking. Rachna is a consumer representative on the Australian Banking Association’s consumer outcomes group. She was formerly a consumer representative on the Financial Ombudsman Service consumer liaison group.
Tim Maddock
i2i Logic
Co Founder and Managing Director
Grew up in Shepparton before attending secondary school in Melbourne. Attended the University of Melbourne studying Law and Commerce. Traveled through Europe and the Middle East before joining law firm Ashursts in 1993. Joined ANZ Institutional Bank in 1997 where I held various roles as a banker and executive. During 2001 to 2004 I worked out of New York. In 2013, I left ANZ to launch a fintech start up 'i2i Logic'. Fast forward to 2021, we now have offices in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Zurich and London. During 2018 and 2019, I spent 2 years working out of Geneva.
Married to Fiona Forsyth QC and father to Amelie (13 yo) and Catie (11 yo).
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Mentor on the Pivott program
https://vic.pivottcareers.com.au/pages/pivott-connect
Other Interests:
Global and local politics
Global economics
Technology and its impact on the social order
Climate change
Capital markets
Start ups
Crypto
All mountain sports
Eve Mahlab
Rotru Properties Pty Ltd
Director
Business and Social Entrepreneur.Thought Leader. Feminist Activist.Former Board Member of Bank, Film Company and University. Parent and Grandparent
Frank Mahlab
Rotu Investments Pty Ltd
CEO
BS Economics, Wharton School
1952 - Univ. of Penn MBA NY Grad School of Business 1954 - NY University.
Sent to Australia in 1958 to head Davis and Neck factory. Married in 1959 and moved to Melbourne - later joined Fo economist.
Since 1960 I have run my own business in entry property investments.
Brothers of St Laurence - Finance Committee
Board of Playbox Theatre for 10 years
DEAC board - disability services for 3 years.
Alex Makin
Syneka Marketing
Managing Director and Marketing Strategist
Alex Makin is founder of Syneka , a strategic marketing consultancy. Alex formed Syneka Marketing in 2009, to maintain his professional career, while serving as an elected Councillor for Maroondah City Council.
Alex has over 15 years experience in strategic marketing and marketing management. Alex is a former State Chair of the Australian Marketing Institute and a member RMIT's Business Advisory Committee for the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing.
Alex was also a former Mayor and Councillor for the City of Maroondah and Vice-President of the Public Transport Users Association.
Elise Margow
Legally Speaking
Principal
Lawyer, Mediator, Director, Board Chair, Author. Understands the commercial needs of a business, legally speaking. Founder and principal of a law practice that assists clients with new market opportunities for increased revenue, innovative risk mitigation, achieving major cost reductions, negotiating million-dollar transactions and resolving deal breakers. Together with her associates, Elise is able to advise clients on the 'A to Z' of legal management, services and strategies.
Elise is an experienced litigator and mediator (ranked by Doyles as one of Victoria’s Leading Mediators) with a focus on alternative dispute resolution techniques to assist clients and disputing parties avoid lengthy and expensive court proceedings. She has successfully assisted both her own clients and disputing parties resolve complex disputes using the combination of her litigation and commercial experience together with her pragmatic approach to the resolution of disputes. As a nationally accredited mediator Elise specialises in mediations concerning banking and finance, corporate, commercial, industrial relations and major leasing disputes.
Elise is an author of the LexisNexis Australian Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents Sale of Goods, Employment, Banking and Finance and Guarantees and Indemnities sections.
Board Chair for St Martins Youth Theatre. Co-founder and director of the charity Australian Books For Children Of Africa.
Named in The Age Melbourne Magazine as one of the top 100 most passionate, powerful and provocative personalities of 2012.
For more information go to www.legalspeak.com.au
Prof Vin Massaro
Consultant and Board Director
Honorary Professorial Fellow in Higher Education at the University of Melbourne; independent member of the Board of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists and Board Member of Médecins sans Frontières; Board Member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians; Strategic Adviser to Deloitte Consulting. He has previously held several senior positions in universities; was Chief Executive of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and of the Victorian State Board of Education. He has been Managing Director of a Consulting company specialising in higher education and health. He has been a member or Chairman of several health Boards.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
BA, PhD, FAICD, Hon FATEM, Hon FRANZCR
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
MSF Australia
Other Interests:
Political History, current politics and current affairs and ancient history and archaeology
Stephen Mayne
Crikey
Journalist
Thirty years as a journalist/columnist with The Age, Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, The AFR, Crikey, The Eye, Eureka Report, Ethical Investor, CBD News and The Mayne Report.
Press secretary in Kennett media unit.
Councillor City of Manningham (present)
Councillor City of Melbourne (chair of Finance and Governance committee, deputy chair Planning Committee)
Communications Adviser, Alliance for Gambling Reform
Shareholder activist - asked questions at 650+ AGMs
Policy and Engagement co-ordinator, Australian Shareholder Association
Former director (4 years), Australian Shareholders' Association
Former director (3 years), Mannacare (aged care provider)
Kate Mazoudier
Australian National Academy of Music
Deputy General Manager
Creative and strategic leader with two decades' experience in the arts and education sectors as a performer and administrator.
Kate has a record of success in fundraising and development, stakeholder and alumni engagement, pr and media comms. She currently leads a high -performing, focussed and collegiate team at the Australian National Academy of Music. ANAM is Australia's leading performance training academy for classical musicians. Based at the South Melbourne Town Hall, ANAM is a one of the Arts8 group alongside other elite arts training institutions such as NIDA, the Australian Ballet, the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) and NAISDA. Kate was born and raised in Sydney and originally trained and worked as a cellist. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, two children and a faithful, ancient kelpie (so ancient, she preceeded the husband and children!).
Maree McCabe AM
Dementia Australia
CEO
A dynamic professional who has held Executive Manager and Chief Executive Officer roles, with comprehensive experience spanning the acute psychiatric, health and ageing sectors. A strong track record in leadership, advocacy, policy, championing strategic and operational change, and creating effective stakeholder partnerships.
KEY STRENGTHS
• Innovation - development of multi international award winning technology transforming care for people living with dementia
• Leadership experience in leading a multi site operation in excess of 1,000 staff and promoting a positive change management experience
• Expertise in public speaking and media
• Ability to inspire, motivate and develop teams
• Stakeholder development and relationship building
• Raising the profile of organisations by elevating standards of care/services and improving care/service outcomes
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Australian Financial Review
Boss True Leader 2019
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
2018 – current Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute Deakin University
2018 – current Chair Nominations Committee Alzheimer’s Disease International
2018 – current Queensland Brain Institute Advisory Board
2017 – current: Dementia Australia Research Foundation
2017 – current: NHMRC - National Institute Dementia Research
2017 – current ADI Asia Pacific Regional Committee
2016 – 2018 Speakers Institute Advisory Board
2016 - 2018 Brotherhood of St Lawrence Audit & Risk Committee
2016 – current: Dementia and Alzheimer’s Australia Limited
Other Interests:
Theatre, arts, movies, exercise, aromatherapy, personal development, F1
Anthony McClaran
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Chief Executive Officer
Before moving to Australia to join TEQSA as its CEO in October 2015, Anthony was Chief Executive of the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) from 2009-15 and Chief Executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) from 2003-06.
A graduate with a First Class Honours degree in English and American Literature from the University of Kent, Anthony began his career in higher education at the University of Warwick, where he held a number of posts including Admissions Officer. In 1992 he moved to the University of Hull to take up the post of Academic Registrar, with responsibility for recruitment, admissions, student records, international affairs and academic resource allocation. In 1995 he was appointed Acting Registrar and Secretary.
Anthony has served as a member of the boards of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE). Currently Anthony has just begun his second term on the International Advisory Board for the US Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) and the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB). He has held a number of governance roles at all levels of education and was Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire from 2007 to 2009.
Prof Rob McGauran
MGS Architects
Director
Rob is a Founding Director of award winning design practice MGS Architects and has held and holds a range of leadership and advisory roles for Government with major design commentary and coordination roles and not for profit directorships. These include:
• Ambassador for Future Melbourne 2026:
• Member of the Victorian Government Design Review Panel;
• Former Member of the Fishermans Bend Ministerial Advisory
Committee;
• Member of the Victorian Priority Development Panel;
• Former Chair of the Sullivan’s Cove Design Advisory Committee in
Tasmania;
• Former Chair of the Architects Registration Board of Victoria;
• Former Chapter and National Councillor of the AIA.
Steph McGregor
Facta NV
Managing Director Energy & Infrastructure
Australian & international career successfully delivering & leading projects/programs in energy networks, economic infrastructure, public assets & land use, at the coalface of change & public/private interfaces. Accomplished in public and private sector leadership roles.
Motivated by finding practical ways unlock real value in infrastructure & energy assets & deliver communities, investors & stakeholder well performing, sustainable & high-quality infrastructure solutions.
Involved in urban innovation models in mobility (UbiPark & Flexicar) & international innovations in renewable energy network competitions including interconnectors and large scale offshore wind networks. Worked in United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia & the EU
Decorations / Awards / Honours : Nominee for Qantas Australian Woman of the Year in the UK (2010) Department of Premier & Cabinet (Victoria) Leadership Award (2004)
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations: Co-founder YimbyVIC (Australia); Steering Committee Women in Infrastructure (UK); Corporate sponsor & mentor The Cup Effect (UK); and, Committee Member Tait Memorial Trust (UK)
Other Interests: Professional: community owned energy & infrastructure, energy network innovation, recycling, Zero Waste models, urban efficiency & resilience. Personal: Paddle boarding, travel, designing a house,, yoga (perpetual beginner!).
Robert McGuirk
Hostelling International
President
A Company Director primarily involved in the development and management of social purpose and sustainable businesses. Expertise and many years experience in Governance, Law, Information Technology, Tourism, Strategic Planning and Not for Profits.
Peter McMullin AM
Cornwalls
Special Counsel
Peter McMullin is Special Counsel at Cornwall Stodart, and is Chairman of McMullin Group. He has also been engaged in many prominent community and organisational leadership roles, has high level expertise in commercial and financial management, as well as being an experienced consultant and mediator across the public and private sectors. Between 2010 and 2013, Peter was the President of the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI), having been Deputy President of VECCI since 2003. Also in 2003, Peter was awarded the Centenary Medal. He is currently Vice-President of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Peter McNabb
Peter McNabb and Associates
Managing Director
Peter McNabb is a strategic planning and economic development consultant focusing on main streets in metropolitan and regional areas. Since 1993, he has advised State and local governments in Australia, as well as business associations and private clients on the management, marketing and business development of these centres. Prior to that, he held strategic planning and corporate management positions in the Victorian Town and Country Planning Board and the Department of Planning and its successors from 1973 to 1993 including Manager of the Government’s District Centres Program between 1986 and 1993
Michael McQueen
Foresters Financial
Chief Investment Officer
Michael McQueen GAICD is an investment executive with experience across superannuation, wealth management and funds management.
Michael is the Chief Investment Officer of Foresters Financial, a Australian financial services company owned by its members, with a proud history of growing and protecting wealth for over 170 years. He is responsible for advising Directors on all investment-related matters and formulating the Fund’s investment strategy.
Previously, Michael was the Chief Investment Officer of Media Super, a $7bn pension fund with 70,000 members across the media, arts, entertainment and creative industries. He was also heavily involved in the merger with Cbus, playing a key role in project from shortlisting and due diligence, through to the asset transfer and subsequent wind up. This was Michael’s second fund merger after Kinetic Super merged with Sunsuper in 2018.
Prior to joining Media Super, Michael held positions including Head of Investment Strategy at LUCRF Super and Manager, Investments at Kinetic Super.
Before joining the superannuation industry, Michael specialized in domestic equities and worked for several different firms across the financial services sector, including Goldman Sachs, ANZ Trustees and the Myer Family.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Mathematical Physics, from the University of Melbourne and has completed the General Management Program at Melbourne Business School. Michael has also completed the Company Directors Course with the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mark Melvin
Committee for Melbourne
CEO
I am currently the CEO of The Committee for Melbourne, a not for profit advocacy group, made up of over 150 members from the business and not for profit communities. Our purpose is a relentless pursuit of positive and enduring change for all Melburnians.
Fiona Menzies
Creative Partnerships Australia
CEO
Fiona Manzies is the first Chief Executive Officer of Creative Partnerships Australia. Previously, Fiona worked for two Federal Arts Ministers as an adviser, then chief of staff. Fiona has also worked as a corporate affairs director for a property investment firm, then ran a childrenäó»s cancer organisation, before returning to the arts as the inaugural Development Manager for the Wheeler Centre, prior to her current role.
Jennifer Miller
Retired education academic
I am a retired education academic from Monash University who specialised in applied linguistics, specifically the learning and teaching of a second language. My research and publications focused on refugee background students, and issues of language and identity. My PhD concerned the way second language use shapes the way we are heard (and judged by listeners). I taught and supervised postgraduate students doing Masters and PhDs on second language issues.
I have an enduring interest in public education, and especially in the inequitable funding of the public and private sectors. Social justice, the mounting gaps between the wealthiest and poorest in society, climate change, the fragility of democracy and identity politics are other areas of interest for me.
Since retirement from Monash I have worked as a consultant on a number of language education projects with Deloitte.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
U3A tutor, Port Phillip
Other Interests:
Performing and visual arts.
Literacy and pedagogy
The risks of digital technologies and AI
Travel
Hiking and fitness
Simon Molesworth AO KC
Barrister
King's Counsel
Simon R Molesworth AO KC is one of Australia's leading environmental lawyers.From Jan 2017 to May 2019 he was a Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW. He was the honorary Inaugural Executive Chairman of the International National Trusts Organisation (2006-15) and at Monash University he was a Vice Chancellor's Professorial Fellow to 12/2016. Until June 2010 he was the non-executive chairman of ASX listed Greenearth Energy Limited and from 2010 to 2014 he was an Adjunct Professor in La Trobe University's Institute for Social and Environmental Sustainability. From 1980 to 2005 Mr Molesworth was a councillor of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), having been its honorary chairman and then president for almost 20 years. In 1994 Simon was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and then in 2012 elevated to an Officer of the Order for his distinguished service to conservation and the environment, heritage preservation, the professions and natural resources sector, and to community health organisations. Returning to the Victorian Bar as a practising barrister from July 2019, he had previously been at the Bar from1984-2016, specializing in environmental, planning and natural resource law, in 1995 he took Silk.
Mr Peter Moore
Flyford Communications
Director
I am currently a company director working with non-for-profit and start-up companies. I am Acting Chair of Transparency International Australia, director of Montsalvat arts community, Chair of Vastigo Limited and on advisory boards of start-ups.
I had a 27 career as a management consultant with Accenture and became a Managing Director working in business consulting, Asia Pacific and the resources industry.
Terry Moran AC
Centre for Policy Development
Chair
Terry Moran was one of the founding Directors of the Melbourne Forum.
Terry served as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia’s most senior public servant position, from 2008 to 2011. As Secretary, Terry was responsible for leading the work of the Department on national security and international policy; environment, industry and economic policy; social policy and reforms negotiated by the Council of Australian Governments; and coordination of government administration, including Cabinet support. During the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, he helped to lead the development of Australia's highly successful policy responses. He also chaired the Advisory Group on the Reform of Australian Government Administration, which developed a blueprint for reform of the Australian Public Service. Prior to joining PM&C, Terry held a number of senior positions at state and federal level, including Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet in Victoria, Director-General of Education in Queensland and CEO of the Australian National Training Authority. In 2012 Terry was named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for "eminent service to the community through public sector leadership, as a significant contributor to policy development, program delivery and effective governance, and to the implementation of contemporary government administration". Terry is also Chancellor at Federation University of Australia and Deputy President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
Prof Maxine Morand AM
Brockhoff Foundation
Director
Maxine has a background in health, cancer research, government and management. Maxine began her career in general and specialist nursing and then worked as a Victorian Transplant Coordinator. During this time Maxine completed her Bachelor of Arts and later a Masters Preliminary (Hons) in Sociology. A love of stats led to a research role at the Cancer Council of Victoria. In 2002 Maxine was elected to the Victorian Parliament and served for eight years including three years as Minister for Children, Early Childhood Development and Women's Affairs. Maxine was CEO of Breast Cancer Network Australia for three years and is currently Chair Board of Directors at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
Maxine is a Professor at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash uni.
Bill Mountford
I am an economic and public policy tragic, still not able to let it go. My major interests apart from this are as a Director of the Lighthouse Foundation, golf, holidays by the beach and swimming. I also enjoy the odd lunch and travelling. You can see from my LinkedIn profile that my career has meandered all over the place rather than followed anything you could call a pathway.
Peter Mousaferiadis
Cultural Infusion
CEO
My area of expertise is culture: particularly in how it can be harnessed to transform humanity on an individual and collective level. I use my position as a thought leader and champion of intercultural understanding to foster such relationships, assisted by my decades of experience working closely with government and education bodies.
In 2002 I founded Cultural Infusion, a cultural enterprise that works through education and the arts to promote social cohesion and build global harmony through intercultural action. Cultural Infusion has delivered countless innovative art workshops, cultural education programs, digital resources, education and community programs and courses. Our programs have an average annual audience reach of more than 350,000 people across the globe, and have received international recognition.
As of 2019, Cultural Infusion is a formal partner of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO. Other major partner organisations include the United Religions Initiative, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the Dialogue of Civilizations, the Australian National University, and the Victorian State Government Department of Education and Training.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
October 2017 – Peace Ambassador Award
Peter received the Peace Ambassador Award from the Center of Peace Studies in Colombo, Sri Lanka, recognising three decades of contribution towards promoting intercultural harmony through education, arts and interactive digital media.
November 2013 – HACCI Award for Community Excellence
Peter is presented the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI) Award for Community Excellence. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual for serving the Community or the promotion of Hellenism via community or philanthropic organizations.
June 2013 – Cultural Revolution Award
This award was presented to Peter Mousaferiadis in conjunction with the Government of Punjab, Pakistan, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), in recognition of 25 years of contribution to cultural diversity through arts and cultural programs.
May 2013 – UNAOC Do One Thing for Diversity Campaign – Winning Slogan
Peter Mousaferiadis, in a collaborative process with the team at Cultural Infusion, developed the winning slogan for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations’ (UNAOC) Do One Thing for Diversity campaign. The slogan, ”Divided We Fall, United We Stand, Diversified We Grow”, was launched at the opening of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue by the UN High Representative H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser in Baku, Azerbaijan.
February 2013 – Intercultural Innovation Award
Cultural Infusion is presented a winning prize for UNAOC’s Intercultural Innovation Award for its Sound Infusion project. The Intercultural Innovation Award is presented to organisations which have developed innovative and sustainable projects around the world that use novel and creative methods to encourage dialogue and cooperation among people from different cultural backgrounds. As a winner, Cultural Infusion is granted membership to the “World Intercultural Facility for Innovation”.
June 2006 – Victoria University Faculty of Business and Law Legend
Peter was among ninety legends recognised by Victoria University for their active contributions over the lifetime of its Faculty of Business and Law.
December 2005 - Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) Business Corporate Award
Peter is presented the award for excellence in multicultural affairs at the Victorian Government House by then-Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks. The award recognises “the inclusive practices and initiatives by a business that utilises and promotes Victoria’s multicultural advantage”, and was the culmination of more than a decade of hard work that began with the idea that entertainment and the arts were areas lacking appropriate representation of Australia’s cultural diversity. Peter saw the award as a validation of his mission to faithfully represent Australia’s multicultural identity by elevating the status of “world artists” from the periphery toward the mainstream.
July 2000 – AGAPI Care Award for Valuable Contribution
Peter received the Award for Valuable Contribution to AGAPI Care Inc, an acknowledgement of Peter’s contribution of cultural services and his work as a composer that assisted and benefited AGAPI. AGAPI is an organisation that provides respite and support for children and adults of different abilities.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Current & Ongoing
2017 – Member of the Australian Industry and Skills (AISC)’s Culture and Related Industries Industry Reference Committee
2017 – Recipient of Centre for Peace Studies (Sri Lanka) Peace Ambassador Award
2017 – Deputy-Chair of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) Board
2017 – Chair of the ECCV Policy Advisory Committee for Entrepreneurship, Education, Employment and Training
2016 – Chair, Lahore International Conference on Culture
2015 – BMW Responsible Leaders Network member
2015 – Associate of the UNESCO Chair for Interreligious & Intercultural Relations for the Asia–Pacific Region
2015 – First election to the ECCV Board
2015 – Advisory panel member of the Youth Revolution Club of Pakistan
2014 – Advisory member of the Global Dialogue Foundation
2014 – Music Council of Australia – Councilor (representing world music)
2014-2018 – Global Trustee of United Religious Initiative
2014 – Patron of the 2014 Model Global Parliament
2014 – Member of the Music Council of Australia’s Education Advisory Group
2014 – Member of the Cultural Advisory Committee of Innovation & Business Skills Australia Industry Reference Committee for Culture and Related Industries.
2013 – UNAOC World Intercultural Facility for Innovation (WIFI)
2013 – Member of the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network
2004 – Director of the Cultural Infusion Foundation
One-off & Past
2017 – Speaker at the EdTechXEurope Summit
2017 – UNESCO International Seminar “The Great Moments of Dialogue in Human History: Assessment, Lessons and Prospects” – Samarkand, Uzbekistan (presenter and participant)
2017 – World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) – presenter and panelist
2013 - 2017 – World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku, Azerbaijan (panel and speaker)
2015 - 2016 – WISE Learners’ Voice Mentor
2015 - 2016 – Advisory panel member of the Department of Education’s (VIC) Strategic Partnerships Program
2015 – Member of Carlton Football Club diversity committee
2015 – Board member of the Victorian Peace Council
2014 – United Nations Association of Australia (Sydney) Workshop Committee for Peace
2012 - 2014 – Regional Leader – Global Trustee for the United Religious Initiative (URI) - South East Asia and Pacific Region
2014 –Ambassador for the Australian Internet Governance Forum (auIGF) and panel member of the Global Internet Governance Forum in Istanbul
2011 - 2013 – Member of various Multicultural and Arts Panels, including Groundswell, International Music Forum & World Music Colloquium, at Macquarie University
2011 – Participant and presenter in the UNAOC pre-forum in Doha
2011 – Member of the UNAOC Integration Building Inclusive Societies (IBIS) Organising Committee
2006 – Member of the Multicultural Arts Advisory Committee (VIC)
2006 – Member of the Melbourne Recital Centre workshop committee
2004 – 2008 – Chair (and current director) of the Cultural Infusion Foundation
2003 – Member of the City of Hume’s workshop committee
1997 - 2001 – Board member of the Footscray Community Arts Centre
1996 - 1998 – Goodwill Ambassador for AUSTCARE (Australians Caring for Refugees), Australia’s specialist refugee agency
Other Interests:
From 1988 until 2013 Peter worked extensively as a conductor. During this period he conducted more than 60 music groups in more than 700 presentations, and developed a passion for championing Australian and Eastern European musical works. From 1995 until 2000 Peter was the Artistic Director of the Orana Chamber Orchestra. During this period Peter premiered more than 30 Australian and world premieres. In 2003, Peter conducted the premier performances of the Populist Opera “1975” by acclaimed composer Irini Vela.
From 1990 – 1994, Peter studied conducting in the Czech Republic, Italy and in the USA. In 2000, Peter was selected to take part in the ABC Symphony Australia’s Conductor Development Program under the distinguished Finnish conductor Jorma Panula as an active master class participant.
• Artistic Director, Conductor and Founder of the Orana Chamber Orchestra, 1995-2000
• Music director of the Glen Eira City Choir, 1997-2000
• Music Director of the Hellenic Choir of Melbourne, 1995-2002
• Chorus Master of the ‘Aurora Australis Choir’, a mass choir of 300 singers, 1999
• Board member of the Footscray Community Arts Centre, 1998-2002
• Music Director of ‘Canto Coro’, 2000-2013
• Music Director of the Greek Orthodox Community Children’s Choir Program, 2001-2008
• Chorus Master of the Multicultural Choir, Footscray Community Arts Centre, 1996-2005
Peter has also established himself as a composer of lyric melodies. To date he has composed over 100 songs, (including the popular oratorio “Snow in Brunswick” - a mass for choir, piano and didgeridoo), arranged over hundreds of songs for choirs, and has set music to a documentary and composed for a national radiothon.
He has composed and directed much of the music for numerous events including the Opening of the SBS Federation Square Celebrations 2003, and the Voyages Concerts at the Australia Day Celebrations 2004 to 2012, Music Theatre Events conceived by Peter.
In 2009, Peter’s Mass for soloists, didgeridoo, choir and orchestra was featured in the Opening Ceremony of the Parliament of World Religions and was broadcast globally by the BBC.
Katherine Murray
RMIT Centre for Urban Research
Partnerships & Development for The Australian Urban Observatory
Katherine Murray is an internationally experienced urbanist with a background in architecture, urban design and sustainable development. She has recently joined RMIT’s Centre for Urban Research, building partnerships and development for the soon to be launched Australian Urban Observatory. Katherine is passionate about achieving better outcomes for cities and driving urban strategy and community engagement to reach these goals.
Katherine has returned to Melbourne after 20+ years living, working and studying in a range of global cities, including significant periods in Oxford, London, New York, Tokyo and Singapore.
In 2015, Katherine founded Young Urbanists, a social enterprise focused on urban education. Young Urbanists collaborates with schools, institutions and local government, developing compelling educational content, enabling young people to make sense of the cities they live in.
Prior to Young Urbanists, Katherine’s architectural and urban design work focused on social infrastructure, particularly in education (designing school and university buildings and masterplans) and international development (participatory interventions in informal urban settings), involving complex projects in numerous cities and contexts. Katherine is a registered architect, holding a BArch from RMIT University, an MSc in Development Practices from Oxford Brookes University and is a graduate of LSE Cities ‘London and Global Cities’ program.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Planning Institute of Australia
Rail Future's Institute
Parlour: women, equity, architecture
Jahanne Nagle
Morgans Financial
Senior Investment Adviser
I am a passionate Senior Investment Adviser at Morgans Financial in Melbourne who is dedicated to improving my clients' wellbeing. I have a particular focus on improving diversity in the financial advice industry and improving the financial literacy and confidence of women. I am an involved member of my local community in the outer south-east of Melbourne and regularly volunteer with my Rotary Club, local political party and at my former school. I am married to a hard-working, self-employed landscaper and we have a beautiful 7-year-old Miniature Dachshund.
Colin Neave AM
Colin Neave Solicitor and Notary
Principal
Solicitor with extensive private and public sector experience.
Decorations / Awards / Honours: AM in 2005
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations: Chair of Trustees of the Pentland Foundation
Other Interests: Golf and the Melbourne Football Club, Reading, Human Rights preservation, Gardening
Peter Negline
Macrolytics
CEO & Founder
After spending 26 years living in Asia, preceded by 9 years in Sydney, I have returned to my Melbourne routes to establish a portfolio career. My focus is now split between developing my strategy and research consulting business with a particular focus on commercial aviation and seeking corporate or NFP board roles. My professional work has been heavily focussed on global macro issues, geopolitic, China, financial markets and global aviation and aerospace. Surprisingly there is an extensive intersection between all these elements which makes for a life of continuous learning.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Member of the board of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT), a US-based NFP with 5000+ members. ISTAT focuses on developing networking and education of professionals engaged in commercial aviation. In addition, I am the founder and chair of the Asia-Pacific Aviation and Aerospace Forum which holds annual forecasting and research focussed events each year for aviation professionals.
Other Interests:
Aspirational tennis player, family, gardening, cooking, reading and travel
Dr Sheila Nguyen
Sports Environment Alliance
Executive Director
Dr Sheila Nguyen is committed to industry work and research evidencing the influence sport has as a change agent for social & environmental good.
Sheila has a PhD from Florida State University (USA), specialising in corporate social orientation and stakeholder management with ongoing research interests including corporate social responsibility, environmental responsibility, measurement and research design.
She has had experience working with licensing/marketing (PGA Tour, USA), corporate consulting (William Morris Agency, Beverly Hills, USA), and she worked as part of the broadcasting team at the 2010 Asian Games (Guangzhou, China) with clients such as NHK, Al-Jazeera, KBS, and CCTV.
Sheila is an alumna of both the Committee for Melbourne’s business leadership program and Cranlana’s Executive Colloquia.
She passionately advocates for environmental leadership within the sport industry and its communities and does so in her role as Executive Director of the Sports Environment Alliance Inc (SEA), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to: EMPOWERING SPORT TO DO MORE {for the world} WITH LESS {footprint}.
Sheila is committed to using her energy to improve our environmental health for public good, and she sees her role at Melbourne Forum as an avenue to do so, starting with her city.
Tony Nippard
Non Executive Director
Tony Nippard
FCHSM, FCSA, FGIA, GAICD
I am a governance professional, and board director. I have had extensive experience as a senior executive in various roles primarily in the areas of public administration, health and human services. I have a BA, B Com (Hons) and MA from the University of Melbourne. I am a Fellow of the Australasian College Health Services Management, a Fellow of Institute of Chartered Secretaries, a Fellow Governance Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. I have been a Director of not for profit and public entities since 1988 in the arts, mortgage finance, community health, mental health, health information management, child protection, children services, higher education and training, as well as advisory committees in defence, public sector governance and university sectors. I have been a facilitator for the Aust Institute of Company Directors' Company Directors' Course and governance consultant undertaking board evaluations, training, investigations and advice
Prof Peter Norden AO
Norden Directions
CEO
Bio Peter Norden is an Honorary Fellow in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology.
He was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2007 ‘for services to community development through social research and programs aimed at assisting marginalised young people and offenders, and to the mental health sector in Australia’.
Sue O Connor
Yarra Valley Water
Chair
Sue has served as a Chairman, Director and senior business leader with ASX Top10 and global unlisted companies and high profile statutory authorities. A purpose driven leader, she brings to the board her commercial acumen and deep expertise in digital, climate change, financial services and utilities.
She is currently Chair of Yarra Valley Water and a Director of Mercer Superannuation, Kordia Group Ltd and Treasury Corporation Victoria.
Besides her passion for business, Sue has a matching creative side. She uses her art to promote conversations about the environment and our relationship and response to the natural world.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Director Climateworks Australia and Bush Heritage Australia.
Advisory Board Member Monash Sustainable Development Institute
Other Interests:
Open Water Swimming and photographing wild landscapes and people who live in them
Sue Oddie
AANA
Director
Non-Executive Director AANA and Consultant Strategy & Sustainability (Blue Sky Strategy), former banker, media executive and M&A lawyer.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Alumni Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
Alumni University of Sydney
Alumni New South Wales University,
Alumni AGSM
Alumni Ashurst
Member Point Leo Life Saving Club
Other Interests:
Electrifying Australian households, Sustainability, Business Strategy, Leadership, Transition to Net Zero, Travel, Education, Startups
Susan Oliver AM
The Wheeler Centre, Scale Investors, Campus Living Villages, IFM, Fishermans Bend, MTC
Chair and member
Susan is an entrepreneur, company director and deeply committed to Australia’s innovation and diversity agendas. Susan is founding chairman of Scale Investors, a female focused angel investing network, is an angel investor, the co-inventor of two software systems and co-founder of a technology start-up company. Susan is an experienced listed company director of more than 20 years with strong commercial and technical skills.
Jim Orchard
Retired
Former mining and metals executive with a background in Aluminium and Coal mining. Began career in R&D and subsequently held operations and production support roles. Concluded career as Senior Vice President Marketing and Government Affairs for a publicaly listed coal company in the US.
Vicky Papachristos
GMHBA, Big River Group
NED
Vicky is an experienced Non-Executive Company Director and currently sits on three Boards.
• GMHBA Private Health Insurance,
• myOwn Health – a JV with AIA Group and
• Big River Industries – an ASX listed micro-cap company.
Vicky has also served on Eftpos Payments, Coventry Group Ltd and was the Chair of Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resorts.
Vicky’s professional career has been as an executive and a consultant having spent over 30 years in blue chip companies.
These include Shell, Westpac, Myer and the Olympics. Her capabilities and focus have been on business strategy, customer engagement & loyalty and she runs her own consultancy.
Vicky’s qualifications include:
• An undergraduate degree in Engineering (Chemical) from Monash University
• An MBA from the AGSM in NSW
• A member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was a mentee for the AICD Women’s Chairs’ Mentoring Program in 2016.
Vicky is involved in several other committees & associations.
Vicky is passionate about women in the corporate arena & making a change from the bottom-up as well as top-down:
Vicky currently is a mentor of young women and is also a Scale Investor – a female led angel investment group where they invest in female entrepreneurs.
• Member of Camp Quality Victorian committee
• Member of the Lyceum Club and convenor of the Technology Club
• Alumna mentoring students at Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School on several projects including Girls Invent
• Vicky is also a Road Cyclist, an extreme Skier and a Travel enthusiast.
Richard Parker
Now semi retired
My education included degrees in Economics and Urban Planning and a Masters degree from the London School of Economics.
Now-days I run a 150 acre farm on which I breed wool shedding sheep and I serve on national breeders association committees. I also build things for and with my kids and I remain an active competitor in national level masters rowing events.
In my former life I was CEO of various State Government infrastructure agencies including the City Link Authority, the Urban Land Authority, (now Places Victoria), the Victorian Major Projects Unit, the South Australian Housing Trust and the SA Urban Land Trust. In 2003 I was made a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.
Carolyn Parker
Non Executive Director
Kador Group
Carolyn Parker was the long-term Managing Director of the Kador Group (a property investment company with assets across the commercial, retail and industrial sectors in Victoria, NSW and Queensland), until June, 2012. Her role involved responsibility for company policy, strategic planning, finance, corporate governance, risk management, identification of new investment opportunities and value-adding projects. Carolyn is now an independent company director, and also sits on the Property Advisory Committee for the Salvation Army, Girl Guides Victoria Finance Committee, and the Program Advisory Committee of RMIT School of Property, Construction & Project Management.
Sapphire Parsons
KHQ Lawyers
Senior Associate
Over the past 7 years I have obtained experience in industrial relations and workplace law working with national Australian unions and at national commercial law firms like Sparke Helmore and HWL Ebsworth Lawyers.
Beyond my legal work, I have a keen interest in public policy and economic development.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Dean’s List for Academic Excellence, Bond University, Dean’s Scholarship for Law, Bond University, Australian Defence Force Leadership Award.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Friend of Grattan, Grattan Institute, Member, Law Institute of Victoria.
Adj Professor David Parsons SC
Retired Judge of the County Court of Victoria. I served as a Judge in the General Criminal Division and as Judge in charge (i.e. management) of the Circuit Courts and Confiscation Lists. Involved in the establishment and expansion of the Koori County Court of Victoria. Committee member of the Judicial Officers Cultural Awareness Committee in Victoria. Selected to participate in Judicial decision-making training in the Solomon Islands in 2019 organised by the Federal Court of Australia on behalf of the Pacific Judicial Strengthening Initiative.
Skilled court advocate. Initially as a solicitor and barrister in the Northern Territory (CAALAS, NAALAS, and the Northern Territory Bar), and then 19 years at the Victorian Bar, with more than 5 years as Senior Counsel. Primarily cross-jurisdictional practice in criminal law and Native Title. Instructed advocacy training in Victoria, and Internationally, in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
Extensive experience working with socially, culturally and linguistically diverse groups particularly First Nations people, as a member and Director of various committees and Boards. Presently a member of the Law Council of Australia’s Indigenous Affairs Committee. Previously a Director of the Koorie Heritage Trust and the Stolen Generation’s Board of Victoria.
Demonstrated understanding of the significance of historical record keeping for First Nations People, as counsel in numerous Native Title trials and Land Rights inquiries, and presently a co-author of a project funded and supported by Latrobe University and AIATSIS titled ‘Aboriginal Land Claims in the Northern Territory – documenting and preserving the records and memories’.
Fiona Patten
Reason Party
Former Member for Northern Metropolitan Region in the Victorian Parliament’s Legislative Council. Leader of the Reason Party, Fiona was first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018.
Since entering Parliament, Fiona has garnered respect from all sides of politics, working tirelessly to deliver legislative reforms that many thought impossible.
Fiona’s achievements in Parliament include:
• Establishing fertility clinic safe access zones from protestors
• Legalising Uber and other ridesharing services
• Securing a trial for Victoria’s first medically supervised injecting centre
• Initiating the Parliamentary Inquiry that led to Voluntary Assisted Dying laws
• Establishing online e-petitions to Parliament
• Secured a spent convictions scheme for Victoria (likely implementation 2020)
• Appointed Chair of a review into the de-criminalisation of sex work in Victoria (likely implementation 2020)
• Secured a government supported inquiry to reform anti-vilification legislation, including the online vilification of women
• Established a Parliamentary Inquiry into the legalisation of Cannabis.
Michael Pearce
Victorian Bar
Senior Counsel
Michael Pearce is a Senior Counsel at the Victorian Bar. Michael practices in most areas of commercial law especially contract, property, trade practices, equity and company law. Before coming to the Bar, he worked as a banking and finance solicitor, spent a year in the Federal Attorney-General's Department, worked as a research assistant at Hamburg University in Germany and for a law firm in Washington D.C. and New York. He is a former Editor of the Victorian Reports and a former President of Liberty Victoria. From 2013 - 2015 he was a sessional Ombudsman with the Financial Ombudsman Service. He is currently a Vice-President of Scholarships for Australian-German Student Exchange (Vic), a director and the responsible person of The Deloitte Foundation Ltd and the Honorary Consul General for Germany in Melbourne.
Michael Perry
M&L Hospitality
Director
Michael is currently a Director of M&L Hospitality, a global hotel owning group, headquartered in Singapore (2012 - current) and The Copland Foundation, a perpetual charitable trust with a special focus on historical houses and their content (2010-current).
Michael was previously a Director and Audit and Risk Committee Chair of the Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority (2011-2020), Museums Victoria (2004-2013) Melbourne International Festival of the Art and Australian Print Workshop. He was the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Victorian Government's Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions and its predecessor Departments (2009-2021) and a non-executive member of the Management Committee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Commonwealth Government's Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (2010-2018).
Michael was a Senior Partner at Ernst & Young (now EY)(2002-2008) and prior to this he was a Partner at Arthur Anderson (1985-2002).
Michael has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and is a member of the CPS's and Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Other: Michael is a Life Member of Museums Victoria.
Membership: Melbourne Football Club, Melbourne Cricket Club, Victorian Historical Society, Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club, Brighton Croquet Club.
Interests: Family (married, with 2 children and 3 grand-children, all living in Sydney). Australian and International affairs; Governance issues; Australian History; Visual Arts and Architecture; Boating and Fishing and Vespa Riding.
Keiran Pidgeon
Mr Pigeon
Developer two
Melbourne CBD based Website developer and online strategy expert, https://www.mrpigeon.com.au .
Louise Pieri
Bendigo Bank
Head of Transformation, Change Workforce
Louise has extensive senior leadership experience working in diverse sectors and complex organisations. She has worked in energy, telecommunications, banking, FMCG and Retail services. This has included leading multifunctional teams across various geographies.
She has held functional leadership roles across various people & culture portfolios, operational risk, safety, business transformation and in consulting. Her career in consulting ( EYC , KPMG) spans Director level engagements where she has focused on large scale transformation, people effectiveness, digital and technology capability programs.
Her focus as a psychologist is on enabling the transformation of organisations focused on the people and workforce aspects of change. this has included applying extensive knowledge of HRM, change management and org design practice,
Louise has deep experience in business strategy, organization capability and transformation. Her experience spans driving business strategy through alignment of core business operations, capability and resources.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
BA ( Major Psychology) Melbourne Uni
Grad Dip App Psychology Swinburne University
Grad Dip Applied Management RMIT University
Registered Psychologist APS
Registered Member AHRI
Registered Member AHPRA
Other Interests:
The Arts
Melbourne City Development
John Pillay
Worley
Managing Director, Transformation
Executive at Worley, currently leading the Transformation Management Office. Previously led the Digital transformation for Worley. Prior to that an executive at ANZ Bank, and before that a consultant in the UK.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Doctorate in Business Transformation from Cranfield University, UK
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Mental Health Sponsor for Worley
Guest lecturer at Victoria University and Melbourne University
Other Interests:
Running and blues / rock guitar!
Beverley Pinder OAM
Rowland Pinder
I have a deep passion for people and helping others. I care deeply that people sleep on the streets; I also advocate fiercely for those who face disability. Former Councillor at the City of Melbourne (2012 - 2020) From 2012-2016 when I was chair of the Marketing Melbourne Portfolio I was responsible for Events, Marketing, Tourism and Retail. This aligned with my expertise as a Marketer and Communications Professional. I have had close to four decades’ experience in the field of Public Relations and Reputation Management. I am an Advisory Board of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine providing counsel on marketing and fundraising. I was a Patron of the Father Bob Maguire Foundation until Fr Bob's passing. And now, Patron of Melbourne Men's Shed. In 2022 I helped initiate Turning Hope Into Action an organisation that intends to be the Voice of those experiencing homelessness. My autobiography Pride without Prejudice, (released 1 September 2023) traces the setbacks and challenges as a teen migrant and puts paid to the naysayers maintaining that Australia gives you back ten-fold that which you give it.
Giselle Pinto
Philanthropy Australia
Director, Programs & Content
MF INAUGURAL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT
Giselle is a senior executive with a strong background in fundraising, philanthropy, communications, events, project management and strategy development across the for-purpose sector.
Giselle joined Philanthropy Australia in 2016 and has held several positions within the organisation since this time. In her current role as Director, Programs and Content she’s responsible for the development and delivery of a cohesive national program to inform, inspire and enable better philanthropic giving.
She’s an alumna of the Williamson Community Leadership Program (2021) and is committed to driving positive community change and progress. In addition to her professional role at Philanthropy Australia, Giselle is a Board Member of CERES Community Environment Park and a Board Member of the Victorian Student Representative Council.
When she’s not working, Giselle enjoys knitting, yoga, weightlifting, learning Portuguese and tending to her indoor jungle and outdoor veggie garden.
Deirdre Pinto
Retired
Deirdre has recently retired after a career as a policy analyst and program manager for the Victorian Government and health services. In a voluntary capacity, Deirdre has been involved in advocacy for a rare neurological disease and has served as secretary to the board of Positive Women Victoria, a support and advocacy group for women living with HIV/AIDS. She is currently chairperson of Chronic UTI Australia, a health advocacy group she co-founded in 2018, and has a position with the consumer advisory group of Painaustralia. She has a Master of Philosophy (Public Health) degree.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Chairperson and Co-founder, Chronic UTI Australia (Inc.)
Member, Consumer Advisory Committee, Painaustralia.
Other Interests:
Climate change, environmental protection, animal welfare, health services, sociology and ethics, consumer advocacy, modern art, literary and crime fiction.
Sarah Porritt
Barrister
Sarah is a barrister practicing almost exclusively in planning, environment, water, heritage and governance related areas of law. She is passionate about good building and urban design and exploring our impacts on the environment and how they can be managed. She was one of the editors of Planning and Environment Victoria (published by lexisnexis) for more than a decade.
Sarah has particular interest in current developments in Australia’s response to climate change and particularly the impact this will have on corporate and regulatory governance.
Prior to being a barrister Sarah practiced at Springvale Legal Centre/Monash University as a supervisor in the professional practice development program (teaching law students how to be lawyers in a Community Legal Centre environment) before returning to private practice finally as a Senior Associate at (then) Mallesons Stephen Jacques, one of Melbourne’s largest law firms.
As well as her law degree Sarah’s holds a first class honours degree in Sociology which underpins her interest in demographics and broader societal patterns and changes.
She enjoys teaching in the Victorian Bar Readers Course and improving that course through the Readers’ course committee.
She has been a member of the Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority; a sessional member of Planning Panels Victoria; a member of the National Pollutants Inventory Advisory Group and a director of the Environment Defenders Office.
She is also one of an ever-diminishing number of pennant squash players in Victoria and has recently returned to competitive Sabre dinghy sailing after several decades.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Victorian Bar
Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association
National Environmental Law Association
Melbourne Cricket Club
RACV
Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club
Merricks Yacht Club
Amy Poynton
Jaen Corp
Managing Director
Currently, I am Managing Director of Jaen Corp - a family enterprise with interests in entrepreneur start up's, sports management and executive coaching. I am on a variety of boards including Children's Ground, Project Respect and The Lyceum Club - Melbourne.
I have been fortunate to combine my academic interests of culture and people into a business career that has spanned over 25 years giving me executive leadership opportunities to drive large-scale transformation, coach fantastic individuals and teams and deliver sustained business performance improvement.My experience has including being a senior partner in a big 4 consulting firm, global client executive in a top technology company through to regional sales development in banking & finance.
Amy is a dual citizen of Australia and USA. She currently resides in Melbourne with her dog, Zelda and her husband, James (in that order).
Robert Pradolin
Housing All Australians
Founding Chair
An engineer by background and has been active in the property industry for over 30 years most recently as General Manager of Frasers Property Australia (formally Australand).
Over his career, Robert has always had a keen interest in the development of all housing types and in particular, a focus on housing affordability. His experience extends from the development of and subdivisions through to medium density housing and apartments.
Over his time with the Company, Robert steered it into the social and affordable housing space with the redevelopment of two significant Victorian government housing estates.
Robert believes that “housing for all – rich and poor” is not only a fundamental human need but it is also in the long-term interest of the economy as it will reduce social service costs. Consequently, he believes that social and affordable Housing is economic Infrastructure.
He is currently the founding chair of Housing All Australians, on the Board of the Property Industry Foundation and the HIA in Victoria. Robert is also a past Board member of the Property Council of Australia, Residential Development Council, UDIA (Vic), Livable Housing Australia and the Heritage Council of Victoria.
Anthony Privitelli
Dulux Powder, Industrial and Automotive Coatings
General Manager
Strong leadership, change management and business transformation capability. I have extensive and diverse experience across both supply chain and commercial management roles with more recently being appointed as General Manager.
I have a proven ability to influence, motivate and engage people, create and execute business improvement and commercial strategies/discipline, deliver a strong safety and customer service focus, manage costs and productivity, and lead key change projects that deliver tangible results. MBA qualified I have a keen interest in strategic management principles and leadership/culture development
The Hon Justice Michelle Quigley
Supreme Court of Victoria
Justice
Michelle Quigley commenced practising as a Barrister at the Victorian Bar in 1988, being appointed Senior Counsel(or Queens Counsel, now Kings Counsel) in 2002. Michelle specialised in planning and environmental law, and has had professional involvement in a wide range of cases including water and transport infrastructure, residential and commercial development and community facilities. These have involved diverse issues in architecture and design, indigenous and post contact heritage and the natural environment.She was appointed as a judge to the Supreme Court of Victoria in December 2017 and was appointed President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in June 2018.
Dr Iris (Kyriaki) Rafalia
Doctor
I am a medical doctor and have been living in Melbourne for the past 5 years. I migrated from the UK. I would be delighted to meet like minded people for intellectually stimulating discussions and make new friends.
Erin Redmond
Integrative Psychology
Consultant Psychiatrist
I am a fully self-employed psychiatrist these days. I work in East Melbourne. I recently resigned from St. Vincent's where I worked part time for 10 years in Indigenous psychiatry.
I have two sons, now grown up though still not off my hands (!). Finally, there is time to pursue a life outside of work and family.
Jennifer Reilly
Dr Jennifer Reilly
Specialist Anaesthetist
I'm a specialist anaesthetist who grew up in the beachside town of Newcastle, NSW. I studied medicine at the University of Sydney and completed my specialist anaesthesia training in Newcastle. During my specialist training I spent over a year in Lausanne, Switzerland working in French language at the university hospital and on the Swiss rescue helicopter and a medicalised ambulance service. I moved to Melbourne as a fully qualified specialist, where I completed my PhD at Monash University and am now an honorary academic at the University of Melbourne.
My research interest is in surgical risk prediction and stratification. My main project is developing a risk prediction model that will be an online calculator to predict the risk of death after adult inpatient surgery. The tool will be used by surgeons, anaesthetists and other doctors to counsel and guide patients about the risks and benefits of surgery and to help people make more informed decisions around quality vs quantity of life.
Deborah Remfry
I have lived and/or worked in Greece. Malaysia, United States and Sydney prior to coming to Melbourne in 1984.
I have had a 40-year career in urban planning and community engagement in planning and health related fields.
Board member South East Community Links (NFP)
Other Interests:
Art, music, theatre, film, books, politics and tennis.
Dr. Leslie Reti AM
Retired
Associate Professor Leslie Reti AM (MBBS [Melb] SM [Harvard] FRCOG FRANZCOG)
Les trained and practiced as a gynaecologist but became interested in Clinical Governance mid-career. He is an experienced Executive, Non-Executive Director and Chair. He has worked with not-for-profit, government, academic and for-profit organisations. At the Women’s (Director of Gynaecology and Cancer, Board Director of RWH Foundation), at the Dept. of Health (Deputy Chair of the Quality Council), the Royal Australian and NZ College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Chair of Quality Assurance). His academic career was with the University of Melbourne (Senior Lecturer) and La Trobe (Adjunct Associate Professor).
Les has been Deputy Chair of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Board of Directors, Board Director of the Victorian Healthcare Association, and Chair of Cell Therapies Pty Ltd, an international leader producing cell-based immunotherapies for cancer.
As a passionate advocate for women, he co-founded Melbourne’s first CASA House for victims and survivors of sexual assault and chaired its initial Board
Until recently Les was Deputy Chair of the Melbourne Writers Festival.
Katrina Reynen OAM
Brightest Horizons
Managing Director
Senior advisor on leadership, innovation and strategy with experience as global education lead for Cisco, Singtel and VP Schools at Pearson. Senior bureaucrat in DET responsible for ICT, innovation, research and leadership development. Chair of the Board of Skyline Education Foundation and Director of Skyline for 15 years. Keynote speaker, panellist, professional learning consultant.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
OAM
GAICD
LV alumnus
MBA
MEd
BSc
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Chair Skyline Education Foundation
Advisory Board member Centre for Youth Policy and Education Programs, Monash University
Other Interests:
PhD research in education if gifted disadvantaged students
PGA legends tour caddy
John Ridley AM
Consultant
John was one of the founders of MF. He lead the charge in 2009 to have the Athenaeum Club open membership to women. Having lost that battle, he and others did not give up on forming a new forum where all Melburnians could get together. John was the first chair of MF. For many years, he led the communications strategy practice for The Clifton Group. John has had a range of community involvements and is currently on the board of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He lives in Warburton and concentrates on his garden and current affairs. He dreams of overseas travevl!
Jill Riseley AM
Deloitte
Partner in Sustainability and the Circular Economy
Jill is a Partner in Sustainability and the Circular Economy at Deloitte. An accomplished executive and Non Executive Director with more than 20 years experience across corporate and public sectors. A leader with experience in complex environments and considered one of Australia’s preeminent sustainability and public affairs professionals. Throughout her career, Jill has been an advocate of sustainability and responsible business and is a sought after thinker on the development of holistic approaches to address systemic economic, social and environmental issues.
Her previous executive and leadership roles include Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group, Vicinity Centres, REA Group, Telstra and Sensis.
Jill has been appointed to key industry and government panels and her work has been recognised through numerous awards.
An experienced Non-Executive Director she has served extensively on Boards including the Royal Botanic Gardens (VIC), the Thin Green Line Foundation and as Chair of the Property Committee and Board Member at Launch Housing.
She is a Graduate of AICD and her academic qualifications include a Masters in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cambridge and Executive business qualifications from Australian Graduate School of Management. Jill is also a judge of the Melbourne Awards and guest lectures at Leadership Victoria and RMIT and Monash universities.
John Ryan
Penington Institute
CEO
John Ryan is a recognised leader in public health and safety approaches to drugs.
John is the CEO of Penington Institute.
John has contributed to a number of public policy changes, linking real world problems to policy solutions. These include expansion of overdose prevention programs including take home naloxone, increased access to and referral from needle and syringe programs as well as enhanced availability and funding support for opioid substitution programs.
John actively works to promote evidence-based responses to drug use in the community, media and with government and is currently a member of the Australian Government’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on Blood-Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissable Infections, and the Premier of Victoria’s Ice Action Taskforce. In 2018, John was appointed by the Victorian Government to the three member Medically Supervised Injecting Facility Review Panel.
John is President of Harm Reduction International. Based in London, HRI is a leading non-governmental organisation working to reduce the negative health, social and human rights impacts of drug use and drug policy.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and in 2012 received a Churchill Fellowship to study ways to enhance public health approaches to drug policy.
Kerry Ryan
Retail Food Group, Richmond Football Club, Aligned Leisure, Kids First Australia, Mental Health First Aid International
Non Executive Director
Lawyer with over 20 years' experience in Australia and Asia; non-executive director with experience across a broad range of organisations and industries, including professional services (law and accounting), retail, AFL, health and wellbeing and education.
Current board roles: Richmond Football Club, Retail Food Group, Aligned Leisure, Mental Health First Aid International and Kids First Australia. Also external member of the Parliament of Victoria Audit and Risk Committee.
Former partner at international law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright.
Fellow, AICD; Fellow, Governance Institute of Australia.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Recipient of Austrade Business Fellowship to Indonesia
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Governance Institute of Australia
Law Institute of Victoria
Shanica Saenrak Hall
Stantec
Sustainability Project Technical Lead
Shanica is the Sustainability Project Technical Lead at Stantec, bringing her expertise in architecture and sustainability. She plays a role in growing the firm's sustainability projects and enhancing its national presence in this field. Shanica focuses on strategic leadership, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, design excellence and business development.
Shanica's commitment to sustainability extends beyond her professional duties. As the State Chapter Chair at the Australian Passivhaus Association (APA), she advocates for the awareness of Passivhaus principles. Shanica is also a volunteer in several thought-leading organisations. Her participation in the Technical Working Group of the Living Future Institute of Australia (LFIA) and her role in the Environment Advisory Group (EAG) and Sustainable Architecture Forum (SAF) at the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) underscore her dedication to driving sustainable and regenerative design principles. She is a People & Wellbeing Expert Reference Panel member at the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). She contributes to developing strategies that prioritise health and wellbeing in building practices. As a Community Concept Advisor for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and previously its Health Equity Advisor, she offers expertise in creating spaces that enhance human health and wellness. As an inaugural Living Future Community Australia Leader for the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), she also supports the movement towards more ecologically-minded and socially just communities.
Before joining Stantec, Shanica was the National Sustainability Lead at NBRS and Group Sustainability Lead at dwp, where she effectively merged architectural excellence with sustainable innovation. Her project leadership was recognised, earning her commendation for the 2022 NAWIC NSW Award for Excellence in Sustainability.
Shanica holds multiple professional accreditations, including Architect registration (VIC), Living Future Accredited Professional, Certified Passivhaus Designer, WELL Accredited Professional, and Green Star Accredited Professional. She is dedicated to guiding the architectural industry towards a more sustainable, equitable, and environmentally conscious future.
Ron Salter
Retired
Ron Salter is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Chartered Arbitrator, a Fellow of the Australian Centre for International Arbitration, and when previously a member of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia, was accredited as a Grade 1 arbitrator. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and also a member of arbitration panels operated by a number of institutions such as the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration, the China Maritime Arbitration Commission, and the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand. He is also a member of 18th Commission of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission.
He is presently a director of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA), and has served variously as a director of the Melbourne Commercial Arbitration & Mediation Centre, as councillor and director of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Australian Branch), and national councillor and director of the Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia (IAMA). In 2013/2014, he served as chairman of the organising committee for the 10th anniversary conference of the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group (APRAG).
Ron regularly acts as arbitrator or mediator, both domestically and internationally, in a variety of commercial disputes, including shipping, aviation, insurance, trade, commodities, partnerships, travel, property, professional liability, and infrastructure projects. He has been listed in four separate Euromoney Guides to the World's Leading Lawyers (shipping and maritime, litigation, insurance and reinsurance, and commercial arbitration), as well as in publications such as Who's Who Legal Arbitration, the International Who's Who of Shipping Lawyers, the Asia Pacific Legal 500, Best Lawyers, and Asialaw Leading Lawyers.
Dr Christine Sammartino
Melbourne Mothers
Physician
I am a Nephrologist, General Physician and Obstetric Medicine Physician. I completed the MBBS at the University of Melbourne in 2004 and attained my FRACP in 2012. I undertook am Obstetric Medicine Fellowship at the Mater Mothers in 2014. I am passionate about women’s health and improving long term outcomes for women with pregnancy complications. I have worked for several years in Queensland in addition to Victoria. I am a visiting medical officer at St Vincent’s Public Hospital but also run my own practice and consult at St Vincent’s Private, Epworth Freemasons and Frances Perry Hospitals. I am also a mother of 3 little girls.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Australian World Orchestra
AFLW player sponsor
Other Interests:
Harp playing
Personal training
Prof Graeme Samuel AC
Monash University, Business School and School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine
Professor
Professor Graeme Samuel AC is a Professor in Monash University’s Business School. He is also Chair of Australian Dementia Network Ltd (ADNet), Chair of Dementia Australia Research Foundation, Co-Chair of the National Network of Comprehensive Dementia Centres Steering Group, Chair of Quipex Pty Ltd and Chair of Airlines for Australia and New Zealand. He was a member of the Panel appointed by the bank regulator, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) to conduct the Prudential Inquiry into the governance, culture and accountability of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and was Chair of the panel which conducted a Capability Review of APRA. He conducted an Independent Review commissioned by the Commonwealth Government of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. He has recently advised on a formal submission to the Commonwealth Government on appropriate regulation of generative artificial intelligence. He co-led a review of the Defence Trade Controls Act commissioned by the Commonwealth Government.
He was Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, President of National Competition Council and an Associate Member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority. In 2010 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to public administration through contributions in economic reform and competition law, and to the community through leadership roles with sporting and cultural organisations.
Andrew Saunders
Eastern Health
Independent Board Director
Andrew is a transformational leader for complex digital business and organisational change, with a focus on the health sector. He is an alumni of the Leadership Victoria Williamson program, and is a mentor for the RMIT MBA program. He is an advocate for empowerment of the individual within the health system, and improving quality, safety and continuity of care through digital health adoption. Andrew is on the boards of the Health Information Management & Systems Society (HiMSS) Asia Pacific, Eastern Health Service (Melbourne) and Dental Health Services Victoria.
Dr Nora Scheinkestel
Nora Scheinkestel is an experienced company director having served as a nonexecutive chairman and director of companies in a wide range of industry sectors and in the public, government and private spheres. She is currently chairman of Atlas Arteria Ltd and a director of its stapled entity, Atlas Arteria International Ltd, Telstra Corporation Limited, OceanaGold Corporation and Ausnet Services Limited. Nora is also a trustee of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust. Nora's executive background is as a senior banking executive in international and project financing, responsible for the development and financing of major projects in Australasia and South East Asia. She consults to government, corporate and institutional clients in areas such as corporate governance, strategy and finance. In 2003, Nora was awarded a Centenary Medal for services to Australian society in business leadership. Nora is also an Associate Professor at the Melbourne Business School at Melbourne University.
Lesa Scholl
Queen's College
Dean
Dean of Queen's College, University of Melbourne, previous Head of Kathleen Lumley College, University of Adelaide. A scholar of 19th-century history, focusing on social justice issues such as poverty.
Carol Schwartz AO
Trawalla Foundation
Director
Carol Schwartz is founder of the Trawalla Foundation (a social investment body) and has played an important role in the development of social enterprise and not-for-profit business in Australia. In 1999, she became the founding Chair and lead investor in the establishment of Our Community, Australia's first major private company established not solely for profit, but to enhance the social good. Carol has extensive experience in business, property, the arts, community organizations and has been a director on a large number of public company and government boards. Carol is also a Past President of the Melbourne International Arts Festival where she served from 2005-2009. Caroläó»s other previous roles include Chair of Industry Superannuation Property Trust (ISPT), and National President of the Property Council of Australia. Carol has most recently launched a high-profile campaign to boost the number of women recognised thr
ough the Australian honours system.
Frank Scifo
Western Chances
Corporate Partnerships & Events Manager
2024 FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT.
As the Corporate Partnerships & Events Manager at Western Chances, Frank works closely with the CEO to support Western Chances’ work to empower young people achieve their potential.
His role combines strategy and operations to grow the Western Chances’ corporate partnership portfolio and more broadly to assist the organisation’s achieve its strategic fundraising goals. Frank collaborates with current and prospective corporate partners to secure financial support for Western Chances and provide stewardship that ensures mutually identified goals and objectives are realised. Frank also designs and delivers Western Chances annual signature events, including a Scholarship Awards Ceremony and Good Business Forum.
The first half of Frank's career has involved sales, marketing and leadership roles spanning across the hospitality, tourism and business event sectors. As Frank embarks on the second half of his career, his focus will be upon delivering impact and outcomes that serve and strengthen his community.
Clive Scott AM
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins
Consultant - Sofitel Arts Ambassador Australia
Clive Scott has worked in the hotel industry for more than 30 years. Clive has been the General Manager Human Resources for the Accor group of hotels (Australia/New Zealand/Japan), and was regarded as one of Accor's most experienced General Managers in the Asia Pacific Region, having managed the Novotel Twin Waters Resort, Novotel and Hotel Ibis, Sydney Olympic Park, Western Sydney Hotels Accor, and the Sofitel Wentworth Sydney. In 2005, Clive returned to his home town, Melbourne, to complete a $32 million refurbishment to the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins in time for the Commonwealth Games in March 2006. Clive continued as General Manager up to July 2023 overseeing further upgrades to the hotel's functions rooms and new restaurant No35, as well as being actively involved in Melbourne's business and arts community. He is now Consultant - Sofitel Arts Ambassador Australia.
Peter Seamer AM
Planning Strategies Pty Ltd
Director
With separate Master’s degrees in Engineering Science and Urban Planning, Peter’s career started in the planning of new towns in the UK and Australia. Much of his career was in Local Government as the CEO of four major Councils, including the City of Sydney.
Peter was the CEO of Federation Square during its construction and early operational phase and CEO of the Victorian Planning Authority for a decade from 2007 until 2017. He is an industry Fellow at RMIT and head judge for the Victorian UDIA awards.
He has recently published: “Breaking Point: The Future of Australian Cities” which examines ways to manage growth and make our cities more efficient, liveable and equitable.
Peter has been recognised as a member of the Order of Australia for significant service to urban and regional planning and design, to public administration and to local Government.
Jennifer Selway
HILT CRC for Heavy Industry Decarbonisation & AgriBio
Non Executive Director
Jenny Selway is a non-executive director and engineer, with experience spanning the Energy, Heavy Industry and Agriculture sectors. Prior to her non-executive career, Jenny specialised in international joint venture management at ExxonMobil and has a proven track record working with and influencing partners such as Oilsearch, Santos, JX Nippon and international government owned entities to find collaborative solutions to business problems in complex, highly regulated environments. Currently undertaking post graduate studies in climate change, Jenny is passionate about using her unique combination of commercial, technical and governance skills to progress decarbonisation and the energy transition in Australia.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
GAICD, Fellow Engineers Australia, CPEng, BEng (Hons), BSc, WOBSx program
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Women on Boards, AICD, Melbourne Accelerator Program mentor
Other Interests:
Three primary school aged children, who keep me very busy.
Currently undertaking an EMBA at MBS, and a Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Policy at ANU
Jeff Sher KC
KC
Previous Chairman of the Victorian State Opera, Chairman of National Golf Club , on Bar Council for 10 years in the 1980s. Founder and Prop. of Port Phillip Estate at Red Hill, sold in 1987.
Peter Sherman
Ruthven Institute
Director
Corporate Financial Advisor and Executive Director of Ruthven Institute an affiliate of IBIS World.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Brighton Rotary Club
Other Interests:
Reading, Bridge, Golf ,Tennis
Maria Stella Sierra Cortes
Ex-BHP
Global Vice President Operational Assurance
Born in Colombia, Maria is passionate about providing leadership in sustainability and building relationships to support a sustainability culture in society.
Maria is a Senior Executive Leader with over 30 years of diverse experience in leadership roles in Sustainability, Health, Safety, Environment, Reporting, Risk Management, Audit, Ethics & Investigations and Governance.
Maria spent her career at BHP, involving responsibilities across five continents, and covered 20+ major operations. In the last 10 years, she held three Global VicePresident roles in the areas of Risk, Assurance and Ethics, As Global VP of Operational Audit, Maria led the global assurance program over the most significant operational and sustainability related risks across BHP. Successfully delivered results that prevented potential significant business losses (including fatalities, environmental damage, reputation and production interruption).
Maria holds a Bachelor of Engineering, and completed the Oxford Leading Sustainable Corporations Program
Maria has two children, loves long walks and enjoys good company with a good glass of wine.
Anthony Smith
Anthony Smith Optometrist
Awarded scholarship to University of Cambridge to undertake a PhD in 1979 but purchased first practice in Camberwell Junction in 1979 and have been there ever since.
Added a second practice in Moonee Ponds in 1996.
Married Heather in 1982 and have 2 children. Hayley, born in 1985 is also an optometrist and works in our Camberwell practice. Lachlan, born in 1987 is both an optometrist and audiologist, and works both in Camberwell and Moonee Ponds.
We travel and have a keen interest in classic cars, having been a member of the Aston Martin Club for over 40 years with 8 years as Past President.
Enjoying semi-retirement and look forward to having more time to participate in community activities and developing new skills and interests.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies and Organisations: Kooyong Tennis Club and the MCC.
Other Interests: Keeping fit and participating in advancing our society.
Wendy Smith
Vipac Engineers & Scientists Ltd
Executive Chairman
Chairman and Executive Director of Vipac Engineers and Scientists Ltd. Former corporate government positions include Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Victoria Board, Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Tourism Victoria Board, Director of the Victorian Public Transport Ombudsman Board and Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Public Transport Ombudsman Board and Deputy Chairman of the Victorian Government’s Patient Review Panel.
A background in politics includes six years (1996-2002) as a Victorian Member of Parliament for the Silvan Electorate. Was the Shadow Minister for Small Business in 2002 and Shadow Cabinet Secretary from 2000 to 2002. A Ministerial Advisor to the Kennett Victorian Government in the Major Projects portfolio from 1993 to 1996. Interests include archaeology
Graham Smith
Clayton Utz
Consultant
Consultant Clayton Utz and previously a partner at Clayton utz for 28 years. Prior to that an Associate Professor in the Law faculty at University of Melbourne. From 2019 till 2023 a legal consultant with the Australian Cricketers Association.
Greg Smith AM
Director
Greg has had extensive experience in conciliation and arbitration in Australia, through his previous roles with the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, Industrial Relations Commission and Fair Work Commission. His skills in resolving industrial disputes across a range of industry sectors through conciliation, mediation and arbitration span more than 30 years.Through his work with the International Labour Organisation he has been involved in many overseas assignments associated with conflict resolution. Immediately prior to being appointed to the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission he was the Deputy Director of the then Confederation of Australian Industry.
His non-executive Director experience includes being the Board Chair of the Country Fire Authority, a Director of Ambulance Victoria and Zoo’s Victoria. Greg has his own consultancy company specialising in labour related matters.
Gillian Sparkes AM
Non Executive Director and Chair
Dr Sparkes has had a distinguished career working with industry, community and government to care for and protect our environment and was Victoria’s independent Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability for a decade, until stepping down from the role in June 2024 . Dr Sparkes has 20 years’ experience as a non-executive director across industry, government and broader for purpose sectors and is currently the Chair of Frontier SI (former CRC for Spatial Information); Deputy Chair Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, a board member of the Industry Capability Network, Victoria and Chair of the Western Port Integrated Water Management Forum in Victoria. Dr Sparkes is an Honorary Fellow of Monash University.
Beginning her career as an industrial chemist for John Lysaght Australia (later BHP Steel) Western Port, Dr Sparkes worked for decades in industries that interface with the environment and community, including in the manufacturing, industrial services, waste management and water industries, before senior public service. Dr Sparkes has held senior roles with the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments including as the establishing Director of the Australian Clean Energy Innovation Centre; Deputy Secretary of the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment; Board Chair Sustainability Victoria and served two terms as a board member of both the Country Fire Authority and South Gippsland Water.
As Victoria’s Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Dr Sparkes was a key advisor to the Minister for Environment and prepared two Victorian State of the Environment Reports (2018 and 2023) and many other statutory reports, on Victoria’s environmental condition. Dr Sparkes is widely recognised for having transformed the impact of the work of the Commissioner to improve the understanding of, and outcomes from, Victoria’s environmental science, management and policy settings.
Dr Sparkes was recognised as one of Victoria’s Top 50 Public Sector Women in 2020 and appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in 2021 “for significant services to environmental sustainability, and to public administration”. Dr Sparkes has a PhD in Applied Science (Chemistry), Master of Business Administration and an Honorary Doctor of Science from Swinburne University. Dr Sparkes is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, National and Victorian Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, a Trustee of the Royal Society of Victoria and member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.
Dr Jonathan Spear
Infrastructure Victoria
CEO
Dr Jonathan Spear is the Chief Executive Officer & Chief Operating Officer with Infrastructure Victoria. He has previously held senior leadership roles with the Department of Premier & Cabinet, Department of Justice, Victoria Police and Slater & Gordon Lawyers. Jonathan's experience includes leadership and management, strategy and policy in a wide range of sectors, governance, organisational operations and legal practice.
Elliet Spring
MGS Architects
Director
Elliet Spring has 20 years’ experience as an architect and urban designer in New York, Norway and Melbourne. Her work includes a broad range of projects around the world, from community libraries, schools and cultural centres to large scale masterplans. Elliet has led MGS Architects’ responses to UNSW’s Masterplan Framework, Trinity College’s Development Framework, Swinburne’s TC Building redevelopment, the University of Canberra Master Plan, and Xavier College's Master Plan and new Year 7&8 Building.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Honor Award for Excellence in Design, Columbia University - 2006
Graduate Prize in Architecture, AIA - 2003
President’s Medal Nomination, Royal Institute of British Architects - 2003
Association of Women in Architecture Award - Architects’ Registration Board of Victoria - 2003
Nell Norris Scholarship for outstanding all-round merit for BArch - 2003
Dean’s Honours List for BArch - 2002, 2003
Nell Norris Scholarship for outstanding all-round merit for BPD (Architecture) - 2000
Dean’s Honours List for BPD (Architecture) 1997, 1998, 1999
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Registered Architect 19815 VIC
Other Interests:
Painting
Drawing
Writing
Reading
Dr Simon Stafrace
Alfred Health
Program Director, Mental & Addiction Health
Hi there. I am a husband and a father of 3 adult children. I am also a doctor and a psychiatrist, and I work in public health in a large tertiary hospital as the program director of mental health & addiction services at Alfred Health. Even after 25 years in the game, I remain endlessly fascinated by mental health, public health & global health. I am also interested in conversations about resilient & liveable cities, climate change, the future of work, & the translation of big ideas into public policy,
Mikaela Stafrace
Women CAN Australia
Founder & CEO
I am an MBA qualified lawyer who is admitted to the High Court of Australia.
I have spent many years in corporate settings providing insurance,risk, governance and regulatory compliance advice. I have served as a company director on government boards & industry associations and was Chief Examiner for insurance law at Monash & Melbourne Universities.
I recognised early on and was encouraged early on, to embrace education as a pathway out of poverty.
In 2019, I founded WomenCAN Australia. The mission of WomenCAN Australia is to assist women become employment capable by connecting peer supported communities of women, with vocational training and onto employment.
I also founded a social enterprise called WomenCAN Facilities Services. Our qualified tradeswomen, cleaners and gardeners provide facilities support to women, particularly vulnerable women in their homes.
In 2020, I was awarded a Myer Innovation Fellowship in recognition of my work.
Jon Stanford
Insight Economics
Director
Jon Stanford is a Director of Insight Economics. Formerly, Jon was a Director of the Allen Consulting Group for over ten years and then a Partner at Deloitte. Before becoming a consultant, Jon Stanford had a significant career with the Australian Public Service, working in areas that involved economics and public policy. He was Director of the Bureau of Industry Economics and his final position in the APS was Head of the Industry, Resources and Environment Division in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Amanda Stevens
Ride Kola
Co-CEO
A corporate governance lawyer with over 18 years’ experience, Amanda has held a number of executive leadership roles in federal, state and local government, including three consecutive years as the Mayor of the City of Port Phillip. She is a highly experienced board member and chair currently chairing the South Melbourne Market, Independent Chair of the Employment and Remuneration Committee at Horsham Rural City Council, board member at Maddie Riewoldt's Vision and Melbourne Forum.
Allison Stewart
Mott MacDonald
Division General Manager
Dr Allison Stewart runs the Victorian business of Mott MacDonald, a global engineering and design consultancy. She has travelled the world for 20+ years working on mega-projects in industry, government, consulting, and academia. Allison is motivated by a passion for mega-projects that can help cities get the best out of infrastructure and associated land use. A Melbourne resident since 2016, Allison has held at executive roles at Infrastructure Victoria and the Suburban Rail Loop Authority, Victoria’s largest integrated land use and transport project. Allison holds Doctor of Philosophy in Management and Master of Science degrees from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Andrew Stops
Walpole Menzies
Lawyer
Andrew Stops is a lawyer of just on 30 years standing. In his spare time he like’s to use his skills in community engagement activities. Ironically almost 20 years ago the person who persuaded Andrew to do this was MF member Margaret Jackson.
The sorts of things that Andrew has achieved are:
1. With a group of alumni (including member Michelle Beveridge) Andrew started the Melbourne chapter of the AGSM alumni. They are completely self funded and raised more than $50,000 for a scholarship for people working in the third sector supporting disadvantaged people to do an MBA at the AGSM. Two scholarships were awarded before the scheme was taken over nationally by the AGSM. Andrew served 10 years on the Alumni Board of the AGSM assisting in raising the profile of these scholarships and creating similar chapters in Asia, Europe and the USA.
2. Once in 2011 and then again in 2014 Andrew raised funds for and then walked the Kokoda Track with teenagers from disadvantaged areas and the Victoria Police. The 2014 venture was the first time from the Wyndham area and Andrew was the only non-police member on the organizing committee.
Dr Dahle Suggett
PTR Consulting
Director
Dahle Suggett's experience embraces top level executive management and extensive policy and strategy development in both the public and private sectors. Her focus has spanned strategic planning, management and leadership, social policy and education and training.
She now draws on that experience and offers public policy and administration consultancy services and executive education.
She has been the Deputy Director-General, Policy and Strategy, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and prior to that, Deputy Secretary, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria.
Prior to that Dahle was a Director and consultant in the Allen Consulting Group, a leading economics and public policy consulting group where she specialised in education and training, business strategy and corporate social responsibility.
She has also been an executive in the chemical and plastics industry, (Exxon) and had experience in international business and the public sector in United States and Europe and teaching experience in Higher Education and secondary schools. She has also been in the Commonwealth public service as Executive Director of the Youth Bureau among a range of executive positions.
She is a Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne , Patron, Skyline Education Foundation and a patron to a number of arts bodies. She has a Ph. D. University of Melbourne; M.Ed La Trobe University; B.A, B.Ed. Monash University; and is a Graduate AICD.
Graeme Sumner
Proxima Consulting
Advisory Board Member
A former Chief Executive of Airways New Zealand, Transfield Services and ASX listed Service Stream, I have also served as a Non-Executive Director of a diverse range of organisations in both the private and public domain, the most recent of which was a member of the global board of CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) where I chaired the environmental committee. I am a frequent speaker on aviation sustainability and the global outlook for the industry.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Bachelor of Commerce (Auckland University)
Master of Business Administration (Massey University)
INSEAD International Directors Course (Singapore)
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Other Interests:
Sustainability & Climate Change
Theatre
Cricket & Golf
Dr Helen Sykes AM
Future Leaders
Director
Helen Sykes is the Director of Future Leaders, President of the Trust for Young Australians, Vice President of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and Summit Governor of the Hillary Institute. She is a Board Member of Melbourne Forum and Democracy Watchdogs. She has published and edited many books.
James Syme
I graduated in law from Melbourne University in 1965 and spent most of my working life with one of Australia's largest law firms. I left that firm in 2001 and joined the Victorian Public Service as Victorian Government Solicitor. Since retiring from that role in 2006, I have undertaken a number of consultancies in areas relevant to my legal background.
Antonia Syme AM
Antonia Syme is Director at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Antonia has over 25 years in the arts and cultural sector as a director, consultant, conservator and curator. Antonia has been the Director of Syme Dodson Consulting and a Director of Artbank for over ten years. Her extensive experience has spanned both the private and public sector, in major Australian cultural institutions and as Co-Director of Syme Dodson Gallery in Sydney. Antonia is a board member for the Abbotsford Convent Foundation.
Dr Helen Szoke AO
Non Executive Director
Helen recently retired as Chief Executive of Oxfam Australia and a commentator and advocate on issues of human rights, poverty, inequality, gender and race discrimination. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles across the health sector, human rights and public policy, and international development sector.
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations: Melbourne University Council and Life Without Barriers.
Pearl Tang
Amazon Web Services
Senior Innovation Advisor
I am a business executive with almost 20 years’ experience working across multiple industries delivering large programs. I have traversed digital and business transformation, new product development, cost reduction and regulatory compliance. The projects I adored drastically improved the experience of people working with technology, were beautifully designed and/or fundamentally changed how teams worked together. I am currently working with Amazon Web Services, working with a range of innovative technologies that can truly disrupt traditional industries and deliver real social change.
Other Interests:
Gastronomy, Travel, Cycling
Matthew Taylor
Victorian Government
Policy Manager, Government Procurement (Department of Government Services)
Matthew works across sectors to drive social change. His main focus is on shifting social innovation and entrepreneurship from the periphery to the mainstream, positioning people and the planet at the heart of our economy.
Matthew is the co-founder and managing director of MET Designs, a social enterprise that aims to transform lives through education. He is also a policy manager at the Victorian Government and a member of the Global Shapers Community (an initiative of the World Economic Forum).
He began his career as a commercial lawyer, specialising in regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings, anti-competitive conduct, consumer protection and regulated industries.
Philippa Taylor
Non-Executive Director
An experienced non-executive director and Chair of Nomination, Remuneration and People Committees on ASX, commercial and not-for-profit boards. Served on boards for over 15 years within B2C industries including financial services, tourism and recreation, international development, software and technology services, and education. Previously strategic board advisor regarding board and leadership renewal, dynamics and performance. Executive career included CEO role, global C-Suite People & Culture roles, and partner-level management consultant.
Tony Tenaglia
Director & Risk & Governance Professional
Tony is a highly skilled professional with over 30 years’ experience in leadership, strategic management, risk management, project management, fraud investigation, human resources and insurance/business/financial services - successfully leading small and large teams within the public, private and tertiary education sectors.
Currently at SuperFriend and has worked for IAG Australia as a Senior Specialist in their Compliance and Regulatory Engagement (CARE) Team. He was previously the Chief Executive of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society and also the CEO of the Intensive Care Foundation and re-developed its fund raising for research strategy.
Prior positions have been Director of Operations for the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research; Manager, Client Relationships for the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA); Transport Accident Commission of Victoria for 20 years, where he held a number of senior positions including Senior Manager, Corporate Services within TAC’s Finance Division.
In 2017, helped found Creative Care & Support Services (CCSS) as a benevolent entity through which to provide much needed respite care services within the Hume region of Victoria.
Fellowship with the Governance Institute of Australia; Graduate Company Directors’ Course, Australian Institute of Company Directors; Fellowship with the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance; Master of Business Administration (MBA), Deakin University; Post Graduate Diploma of Business (Risk and Insurance), Deakin University; Graduate (Dux), Victoria Police Detective Training School; Bachelor of Legal Studies, Latrobe University. Memberships: Director & Treasurer Mayflower Aged Care Group; The Australian Contemporary Opera Company (ACOCo); Responsible Officer Veterinary Registrations Board of Victoria (VRB); Director & Honorary Treasurer Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Chairman & Director Creative Care & Support Services (CCSS); Director Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF)
Community & Disability Support Circles.
Chris Thomas
Differential Pty Ltd
Investor & Non-Executive Director - Digital Disruption Strategist
Ray Tonkin
Heritage Consultant
Ray is a well known heritage conservation practitioner in Victoria and until 2009 was Executive Director of Heritage Victoria, a position that he held for 22 years. He has been closely associated with the development of heritage protection legislation, policies and the administration of those matters in Victoria and nationally.
Ray has degrees in architecture and urban planning and has used these qualifications as a basis for his career in heritage conservation
Over the past nine years he has undertaken a number of heritage projects as a consultant, including work for rural and regional councils. He is also a sessional member of Planning Panels Victoria and has sat on numerous panels, primarily dealing with the application of heritage controls.
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Public Service Medal
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Australia ICOMOS
National Trust of Australia (VIC)
Prof Alan Trounson AO
A stem cell biologist, IVF pioneer and former President of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He is Emeritus Professor Monash University and Distinguished Scientist, Hudson Institute for Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia and CEO & Executive Director of Cartherics, an organisation whose mission is the development of novel, “off-the-shelf” (allogeneic) immune cell therapy products for the treatment of cancer.
Noel Turnbull
Retired
Noel Turnbull was formerly CEO of Turnbull Fox Phillips and Turnbull Porter Novelli, then Australia's largest public relations consultancy. His publications include, A History of Port Melbourne (Oxford University Press); The Millennium Edge (Allen & Unwin); How PR Works, but often doesn't (www.noelturnbull.com); and chapters in Government Communication in Australia (Cambridge University Press); Marketing in the Board Room; and, The Influence Seekers (Australian Scholarly Publishing). He is an honorary Doctor of Communication (RMIT University) and a Public Relations Institute of Australia Fellow.
Prof Barbara van Ernst AM
Consultant, non-executive director
Previous leadership roles include Deputy Vice Chancellor at Swinburne University and as Councilor and Mayor of Hawthorn City Council. The past 10 years have included work as an education consultant in universities and colleges, both nationally and internationally. Current activities include positions as non-executive director for two higher education providers, one as chair. In addition, she has extensive involvement with arts organizations in both visual and performing arts.
Yvonne von Hartel AM
peckvonhartel
Senior Principal
Yvonne von Hartel AM is a Founding Principal of peckvonhartel. Yvonne has practiced as an architect for over 47 years, working on some of Australiaäó»s largest and most significant infrastructure projects. Yvonne is currently Chair of the Southbank Arts Precinct Working Group; a Director of the Linking Melbourne Authority, a Trustee of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, a Director of the Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd, a Director of the University of Wollongong, SMART Infrastructure Advisory Council, a member of the Victorian Premier's Business Roundtable and the Independent Specialist Advisor äóñ Design for the Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct.
Dr Ingmar Wahlqvist
Brandon Capital Partners
Investment Manager
Ingmar Wahlqvist is an Investment Manager at Brandon Capital Partners. Ingmar was the Business Development Manager at Melbourne Ventures, Investment Manager at Melbourne Ventures / GBS Venture Partners, Senior Marketing Manager, Global Marketing at sanofi-aventis, Assistant to EVP, Operations at sanofi-synthelabo and Director at Med-e-Serv.
Geoff Walsh AO
Non Executive Director
Geoff Walsh AO is a founding member of the Melbourne Forum.
Prior to that, Geoff was an Australian political and business adviser.
Educated at Caulfield Grammar School and La Trobe University, he worked as a journalist for the Border Mail, Herald Sun, The Age and Australian Financial Review before serving as an advisor to Australian Labor Party politicians Bob Hawke and Paul Keating during their terms as Prime Minister of Australia. He became a diplomat, working for the International Labour Organization in the United Nations Office at Geneva and later as the Australia Consul-General to Hong Kong. He worked as the National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party from 2000 to 2003 overseeing the 2001 federal election campaign. Geoff then spent over two years as a government relations consultant.
In 2005, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, "for service to politics as National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party and to the community in the areas of tertiary education and promoting closer ties between Australia and Hong Kong".
Geoff was appointed Chief of Staff to Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks in September 2006. In 2007, he was appointed as Director of Public Affairs at BHP Billiton, he later became special advisor to Marius Kloppers, the former CEO of BHP.
He currently serves as the founding Executive Chairman of the Melbourne based York Park Group.
Lee Wapling
FMD Financial Pty Ltd
Chief Executive Officer
Lee Wapling is the CEO at FMD Financial. Lee was previously Chair of Infoxchange and State Manager Perpetual Private Clients.
Annie Warner
Melvins
Prior to obtaining my law degree in 1997 I gained broad experience in a diverse range of industries including fashion, marketing and taxation, providing me with a strong appreciation of the commercial realities of business. Since becoming a lawyer I have worked in far Western New South Wales in aboriginal communities, in country Victoria and in metropolitan Melbourne.
I am experienced in liaising with a wide cross section of people from government, community and business using strong communication, analytical and problem solving skills.
I have international experience through managing the summer law school in India of a New York university. I am on the boards of a small charitable fund and a special school, Tombolo Academy. I’m a graduate of Leadership Victoria's Folio Community Leadership program.
Meg Webster
Retired Special Education Teacher
Meg is a retired Special Education specialist and former Angus stud co-proprietor.
Pera Wells
Institute of Economics and Peace
Member of the Board
Pera Wells was an Australian career diplomat, who served overseas in Africa, with the United Nations, New York, with the Commonwealth Secretariat in London and as Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi, India, from 1991- 94. Pera developed a strong interest in working on multilateral issues, and in 2000 joined the World Federation of United Nations Associations, serving as the Secretary-General from 2004-2009.
Amy Wells
Manager
I am an engineer with deep operations and people development skills. In times of change I am a foundation stone for teams and organisations that are looking to scale, adapt or reshape. I anticipate change pains for organisations, teams and individuals and then deliver strategy to close these
Decorations / Awards / Honours :
Finalist for Women In Industry 2016
Guest speaker as Having Difficult Conversation and Women in Male Industries
Membership of Voluntary Bodies & Organisations:
Institute of Engineers
Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia
#Notinmyworkplace
Mentor, Leadership Victoria
Lynda West
Barrister, and recently retired VCAT Member with some 50 years experience in the law, bookended by the Fitzroy Legal Service and RSA certification for the local fishing club.
In between: TAB telephone betting operator, various jobs as a law clerk, articled clerk, wife, criminal law solicitor, common law solicitor, mother(1), barrister, instructor at Leo Cussen Institute , mother(2), conference facilitator and mediator, appointment to VCAT.
Peripheral involvement in voluntary organisations including Richmond Legal Service, Quit Campaign, Sacred Heart Mission, Hanover Housing, City of Port Phillip adult literacy and AMES.
Two emigrant children and two Irish grandchildren.
Janet Whiting AM
Gilbert + Tobin
Partner
Janet is head of Gilbert + Tobin’s Disputes + Investigations practice in Melbourne.
Janet is recognised as one of the pre-eminent commercial litigators in Australia. Janet’s client portfolio includes global corporations, ASX top 50, governments and regulators.
Janet is the current President of the Council of Trustees of the National Gallery of Victoria, the first woman to hold the position in the Gallery’s 158 year history. In addition, Janet is the Chair of Visit Victoria, on the Council of Newman College, The University of Melbourne and is Patron of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. Janet’s previous appointments include Deputy Chair, Victorian Major Events Company, Director of National Australia Day Council, Bell Shakespeare Company, Tourism Australia and President of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust.
In 2015, Janet was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to the community through the arts, health and major events sectors and as a legal professional and was inducted onto the 2015 Victorian Honour Roll of Women by the Premier of Victoria. Janet was named one of Australia’s 10 Most Influential Women in the Westpac and Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Awards 2015 and won the category for Culture.
Jenny Wilkins
Jenny Wilkins and Associates
Director
Independent consultant to the health sector for 30 years working in major hospitals and regional health services to improve outcomes for patients.
Governance experience as executive member of committees and boards in hospitals and health services in corporate consulting role. Past member of government tribunal, regional health service board and not-for-profit boards. Current member of health service community advisory committee, government review panel and human research ethics committee.
Mentor to professionals from a diverse range of industries specialising in emerging leaders, career changes and entrepreneurship.
Melanie Wilkinson
Fenton Communications
CEO
Melanie is Director and CEO of Fenton Communications. She has a diverse background spanning more than two decades in communications and marketing. Melanie's experience includes community engagement and activation, positive health promotion, brand and reputation management, stakeholder engagement and integrated social marketing campaigns.
Allan Willingham
Allan Willingham Architect
Architect and Architectural Historian, Heritage Consultant
An Australian architect, architectural historian and cultural heritage consultant, with extensive teaching, research and practice experience in architecture, architectural history and building conservation and has published many of his researches in architectural history and conservation practice.
Won a number of awards for historic buildings conservation, including the RAIA Merit Award in 1983 for the restoration of the Geelong Custom House. Allan was a member of the Historic Buildings Council of Victoria, and its forerunner, from February 1977 to June 1990, and he prepared the conservation plan for the rescue of the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne in the early 1980s, a heritage place now entered on the World Heritage Register.
As a broadcaster, he conducted a DIY building maintenance talkback program on ABC Radio in Victoria for near 15 years. He is a fellow and past vice-president of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (FRHSV) and an honorary life member of the Victorian Artists’ Society (FVAS). Allan is a PhD candidate in the University of Melbourne, and is preparing a dissertation concerning ‘The Tennis Court : An Architectural History’. In recent times Allan has been closely involved in the restoration of La Mama Theatre, Carlton, and various buildings at Montsalvat Artists' Colony, Eltham.
Kerry Willis
Retired
After moving to the Dandenong Ranges from Sydney via Canberra I spent a term as Councillor and Deputy Shire President of the Shire of Sherbrooke, worked as the inaugural Coordinator of Volunteers Unlimited, getting it off the ground from scratch, and then for the next ten years as part-time Executive Officer of the Roadsides Conservation Committee encouraging the disparate groups on the Committee (CFA, SEC, Bird Observers, RACV, Victorian Farmers Federation and others) to recognise and manage sensitive roadside vegetation.During that time I also managed a couple of statewide consultations: the State Conservation Strategy for Victoria and an Industrial Waste Strategy for the EPA, and trained as a mediator in neighbourhood mediation. This background led me to a position with VicRoads, (some thought VicRoads had made a í¢äåñcourageousí¢äå decision to appoint me), first as Sociologist managing community consultation on major road projects and developing Strategies and Guidelines for Community Participation to guide our practice, and then as Manager of VicRoadsí¢äåä¢ Environmental Services Section.I retired 2002 and continue as a sessional neighbourhood mediator with the Dispute Settlement Centre, have dabbled in political cartooning, have joined a small local group working with refugees, and travel when I can.
Sally Wills
Small Change Design and Construction Pty Ltd
Director / Registered Builder
I am a registered builder and sole director of Small Change Design and Construction Pty Ltd which specialises in very small energy efficient housing. I have been lobbying the Victorian State Government directly and with the assistance and support of MBAV to change the secondary dwelling rules to increase the supply of small affordable rental properties in Melbourne's established suburbs.
Deirdre Wilson
Hothouse Design
CEO
My background in industrial design and manufacturing provided me with the basis to start Hothouse Design, a design studio with an emphasis on usability and sound processes, hence our passion for information design where making complex information simple communication of content is the goal.
Over time, we have realised that our skills in designing production processes is a key differentiator for us as we are the go-to studio for companies with strict production requirements – either large volumes of data to be formatted or frequent tight deadlines to meet.
Nicholas Wilson
Fair Work Commission
Commissioner
Nicholas Wilson is a Commissioner in the Fair Work Commission. He commenced his appointment in April 2013 and is based in Melbourne.
He works across the full range of matters and industries dealt with by the Commission, including bargaining disputes and disputes under awards and enterprise agreements, dismissals, general protections and anti-bullying applications.
Before appointment to the Commission Nick held for a decade several Commonwealth statutory and Chief Executive Officer appointments, including as the inaugural Fair Work Ombudsman. His career has included more than 40 years in workplace relations and occupational health and safety practice, policy and regulation.
Gillian Wong
Quantem
General Counsel and Company Secretary
General Counsel and Company Secretary at Quantem. Reporting to the CEO, she is a highly commercial, strategic and experienced General Counsel and governance professional. With a strong focus on innovation, leadership, diversity and stakeholder management, she is responsible for the legal and company secretarial functions at Quantem and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
In addition to her role at Quantem, Gillian was a Director and a Past National President of ACC Australia (the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association), a membership based not for profit organisation that provides education, advocacy and networking opportunities for in-house lawyers. She also provides pro bono legal advice to Arts Law Australia as a panel lawyer and mentoring to other in-house lawyers as part of the ACC Mentoring program.
Gillian has previously held a number of senior positions at ASX listed companies, St Barbara Limited and National Australia Bank Limited.
Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Western Australia, Gillian started her legal career at Minter Ellison in Perth and was previously a Senior Associate at King & Wood Mallesons in Melbourne.
Colin Yeung
Kalika
Founder & Principal
Colin is a globally experienced senior leader in complex, multi-stakeholder, multi-lingual environments, He leads in-house and outsourced teams across a variety of disciplines, geographies and sectors.
An industry known and acknowledged technology leader, Colin is commercially astute with a skillset across digital transformation including strategy, organisational risk and corporate governance. He is focused on delivering business aligned data driven user experiences that improve efficiency, growth and sustainability.
Colin's leadership is collegiate in focus, playing devil's advocate to his teams, supply chain and the business, always challenging everyone to consider what is possible and align to what the business needs. He partners with the board and senior leaders to bring them on the journey for successful digital transformation.
This requires an emphasis on study, creativity, listening and execution.
At light speed.
Outside work, Colin judges for the AIIA iAwards (https://aiia.com.au/iawards/) and advises social good initiatives. Recreation time is devoted to his lovely & smart wife (Music + Math degrees) and their pigeon pair children, being a gardener (lots of hedges), an apiarist (lots of bees), a MTB/gravel cyclist (lots of stacks + exploring), and a Cub Scout Leader (children + mayhem).